Studying the Unloved
by Krin
Summary: An old scientist does the unthinkable studying Metal Heads. What happens when J&D show up, following orders to blast the enemy apart? Research verses survival. Good!OC. Jak2 fic, AU because it was started before J3 and JX came out.
1. Embryology

Chapter 1: Embryology

The amniotic fluid is a viscous mix of metal ions and a semiconductor liquid. This fluid also cushions the embryo, and is located between it and the egg shell. The shell is metal and slowly disintegrates while supplying the growing embryo with ions.

There is a large allentois which stores waste. This is the visible coating of a Metal Head egg. The allentois quickly swells with the byproducts of the embryo's internal reactions and envelopes the egg shell. This serves two purposes; to conceal and to protect the eggshell. The allentois skin contains a poison to deter egg eaters. It also retains a large static charge over its surface area, which will shock any fleshling that touches it.

Metal Head eggs can be found in any environment with a heavy supply of dark eco or metal, but never both. Eggs deposited on the sides of buildings or in veins of ore underground usually give rise to the small to medium sized subspecies. Eggs deposited in pools of eco quickly produce a stalk and right themselves, often swaying in their own electrostatic breezes. These eggs usually hatch into the larger subspecies and all of those able to fly.

It is not exactly clear why eggs are not deposited, say, on the side of a building submerged in eco. My guess would be this: the ratio of eco to metal ions within the "skull gem" (or cranial scintillation) determines which of the many subspecies the organism will develop into. A ratio of 1:1 is probably a terminating factor. The liver equivalent in a Metal Head (known in the scientific community as Klaxon's intermediary) serves three purposes; to filter toxins from the blood, to break down eco into usable packets of energy (alpha function), and to prepare ingested metals for use in the body (beta function). If the ratio of eco to metal is 1:1, both the alpha and beta functions must work to full capacity, quickly killing the organism because there is not enough time to ingest material fast enough for the remaining body functions.

After four to six months of development the eggs are ready to hatch. The egg shells are all but gone at this point with the metal having been incorporated into the exoskeletons of the baby Metal Head. The embryos secrete a sticky substance just before hatching so that they are not poisoned by their own allentois. A clutch of Metal Head eggs often hatches simultaneously, resulting in siblicide as the babies fight for food and other resources.

Reference, Chapter One of "Studying the Unloved"

Dr. T, PhD Biometallics, Herbal Medicine, Universal Anatomy and Physiology

Published and supported by Praxis Publishing; Slave Labor, You Get What You Pay For


	2. Hatching

I peeked over the bushes, making sure the Metal Head Mother Guards had really gone off for a drink of eco. The two giant lizard-like adults were gone. I grinned and tip-toed over to the clutch of eggs.

The eggs shivered with electricity and intense internal lighting. I could see the embryos; this batch was of the small crawling variety. I pulled out my mechanical notebook and scrawled information all over its glossy screen.

"Seventeen eggs," I muttered, "subspecies _Spumantis kranatonidae_, five months, six days, forty-two minutes and," I glanced at my watch, "eleven seconds incubation. Hatching imminent. Cranial scintillations vibrant and healthy. Mother Guards absent for the moment." I tucked the notebook back into my vest and hesitantly touched one of the writhing allentois sacks. My protective gloves sparked, but I didn't feel a shock. The baby Metal Head inside glared at me, snapping its tiny jaws. I smiled at it.

Behind me something crashed through the bushes. I spun, afraid the Mother Guards had come back to protect the clutch. My body shield, alerted by invisible wires melded into my brain, activated itself. This was the fastest way to ensure protection. If the shield required a button, it would take precious seconds to push.

To my utter surprise, a young Glakkickh and a fine specimen of _Ottselus squattus_ burst from behind the bush. I thanked my lucky wires that the shield held as the man fired at me. Without thinking, I stood in front of the clutch, spreading my arms to give as much protection as possible. "What the hell are you doing?!" I screamed, letting the shield magnify my voice.

The young man, maybe a boy, it was hard for me to tell, raised the gun to eye level. "Get out of the way!"

"No! What are you doing here, Glakkickh? I demand to see your papers! This is a protected area!"

The boy squinted through the eyesight of his gun, and I felt the red laser creep up my cheek. "Move!"

I stood firm. The ottsel threw his hands up in the air and screamed something intelligible.

"I'm serious!" The boy screamed, "get out of the way!"

I folded my arms. Behind the Glakkickh, I saw the two Mother Guards approaching. The ottsel turned around, perhaps feeling their breath on his sensitive fur. "Aaaaa!"

The boy swung around and started firing. "No!" I screamed. Except the word wasn't in any language the two interlopers would know. The Metal Heads interpreted the sound as a warning. I identified myself as a protector of the eggs, and urged them to find business elsewhere. All this with just a few sounds; the Metal Heads are efficient in this manner. It's one of their many admirable qualities.

The boy's jaw dropped as the Mother Guards left. He turned around, and gun still aimed at my nose, slowly approached. I made a mental note to the suit to return my voice to normal, but to keep the shield activated.

The ottsel peered at me in a way that made me slightly uneasy. I realized they probably couldn't identify me as a person with the shield covering my face. "What are you?" he asked.

"Who are you?" I shot back, very annoyed he took that tone of voice with me.

"How could you not know?" squawked the ottsel. "Jeez, Jak," and he grabbed the boy's ears in his paws, "guess there IS someone in the world who doesn't know you. I owe you lunch."

Jak, apparently, rolled his eyes at his small companion. As he approached, I guessed at his age. He appeared about thirty years younger than me. Sometimes it takes a while to reacquaint yourself with those of your same species.

"I am a scientist," I said ungraciously. "I study Metal Heads. This area is protect-"

"Study Metal Heads?!" screamed the ottsel. I grimaced; his voice scratched across my ears like lead water over an aluminum shore. (A sight which I was fortunate enough to see while doing my graduate work in a neighboring city.)

"The only thing you need to know about Metal Heads," continued the mammal, "is that they're made of teeth the size of your head," he extended his arms out as far as he could, which was much larger than the size of his head, "and they die when you shoot them."

The young man nodded.

"That," I said, noting that the eggs behind me were rattling harder, "is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. First of all, the largest Metal Head dentary bone ever unearthed could never support teeth of that siz-"

A cracking noise behind me caused the two to jump. Jak took a deep breath and aimed above my head.

"Don't you dare, Glakkickh," I said in my iciest tone. It must have worked, because he lowered the gun and stared at me.

"Uh... lady?" asked the ottsel.

"What?" I snapped.

"You might wanna RUN!"

The young man and his companion took off. I turned around. A surging wave of young Metal Heads swarmed over me, oblivious to my existence, and began attacking one another. Some of the babies, unfortunately not given enough time to secrete their protective chemical, screamed as the allentois poison ate through them. I watched for a few minutes, scribbling notes and taking the temperature of the air. Satisfied that the hatching was going well, I strolled after the interlopers.


	3. Juneberry Allergies

After about fifteen minutes I found them in a tree. The Glakkickh was banging his communicator against a branch and the ottsel was chewing on some berries.

"You don't want to do that," I said. The ottsel jumped and Jak looked around the tree before looking down. "_Ottselus squattus_ has a terrible allergic reaction to waxy juneberries."

"Ptah," the ottsel spit the berries out. "You might be right about that." He started scratching at the back of his head absentmindedly. I made a note to watch the progress of his reaction, and mentally checked my subspace compartment for some sort of allergen suppressor.

The ottsel clambered up on his companion's shoulder. I looked up at them, decided Jak couldn't possibly shoot me from his position without the backlash force of the gun knocking him out of the tree, and lowered my shield. My helmet melded seamlessly into the back of the suit, and I ran a gloveless hand through my gray hair.

Jak jumped down from the tree and awkwardly put the gun away. I recognized the name brand subspace compartment he used. I happened to know for a fact that thirty three percent of the people who used that brand suffered from subspace burns. The burns were invisible and deadly, quickly spreading without pain throughout the entire body. Maybe, if he's nice, I'll let him know.

"What did you do back there?" he asked, taking a seat on the roots of the tree.

"I communicated with the Mother Guards, letting them know the eggs would be fine, and that they could leave."

"Mother Guards?"

I pulled a water flask from my homemade subspace compartment and took a drink. "While individual Metal Heads lack gender," I said between sips, "they still retain maternal instincts such as gathering and protection of the young."

"Yeah, what kind of nursery rhymes do those guys get?" asked the ottsel. He cradled an invisible baby. "'Rock-a-by Metal Head, on a tree top, when the gun blows, the cradle will rock, when the tree explodes, the cradle will fall, and down will come Metal Head, skull gem and all.'"

I shot him a look. He grinned and itched the back of his neck. "That's not funny," I said. I turned to the Glakkickh, who seemed to be the slightly more intelligent being of the pair, and demanded to know what he was doing here.

"I'm getting rid of Metal Heads," Jak said simply.

I fumed. "Don't you know this is protected territory?" My hands clenched in fists. The suit started to raise the shield, but I negated the motion with a quick double blink and a twist of the head.

"Protected by whom?" screeched the ottsel. "No one likes Metal Heads- eh heh," he saw my glare, "well, except you know, the scientific community-"

I pulled a small square of papers from my subspace compartment, bearing the seal of the Baron. "Praxis himself assigned me to this area with specific instructions." I unfurled the papers, and Jak made a terrible face at the mention of the Baron's name. "To study and protect the two populations of Metal Heads in Sector 7G, an area no less than forty square standards."

Jak jumped up. "I guess you haven't heard the news, then," he said, a tinge of delight in his voice. "The Baron is dead, and all his orders are nullified by the current Baroness."

"What?" I was speechless. I pocketed the papers and stared at the man. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the ottsel starting to chew on the fur of his arms.

"That's right," Jak sauntered over to the ottsel and forced him to stop eating his own fur. "His daughter, Ashelin, is in charge of Haven City."

I sat down. "What is Ashelin's policy on Metal Heads?"

"She doesn't like them one bit," declared the ottsel.

"Daxter, stop that," said Jak, kicking the mammal gently. The ottsel snapped at Jak's boot. The whites of his eyes were starting to redden.

"She can't stop my work, I've learned so much about these creatures-"

"Look," said Jak, reaching down and trying to separate Daxter's teeth from his own skin without getting his fingers bitten off, "don't complain to me. I can escort you to the palace and you can talk it over with- OW!"

The ottsel hissed, releasing the young man's wrist. Jak stared at his arm. I sighed and stood.

"Your companion is suffering from a Type One waxy juneberry allergic reaction," I said, pulling things from my subspace compartment. "I can help him."

"Yes! Please!" The Glakkickh looked alarmed for the first time. Daxter started gnawing on his own foot. Hunks of flesh and warm blood littered the ground beneath him. "Why is he doing that?!"

"The allergy is causing him to hallucinate and itch simultaneously. He thinks he can get rid of the itch by removing whatever he sees on his fur. Of course," I finally found the bottle of waxy juneberry alkaloid, "what he sees isn't really there, so he bites himself to death."

"No! Help him!" Jak stood over the pitiful creature.

Interesting, I thought. He thinks he has a relationship with this creature, but has no problem blasting a clutch of eggs to bits. "I'll help you, if you agree to assist me in my negotiations with Ashelin, and don't harm a single Metal Head on this peninsula."

Jak's face contorted for half a second. In that half second, Daxter's crimson tail whipped Jak's calf, spreading blood all over. "All right! Help him already!"

"Hold him down," I said.

"How?"

Hmm. Jak was right. The little animal was writhing and convulsing; too dangerous to touch. I handed Jak the bottle. "I'll hold him down," I said, activating my shield. The gloves slipped from the sleeves over my hands. "And I'll open his mouth. Pour the liquid down his throat. Try not to spill any."

After two unsuccessful tries, Daxter finally swallowed the alkaloid. He twitched for a few minutes, then curled up and fell asleep.

"You can carry him like that," I said, nodding and retracting my shields. "If any Metal Heads come, I'll explain the situation nicely." I cracked my knuckles. "I haven't been to Haven City in ages. Lead the way, Glakkickh."


	4. Thrinaxia

"Why do you keep calling me that?"

"What?" I ducked under a tree branch, noting the fungus that had set into the bark.

"Glak something." The young man carried his companion carefully, stroking what was left of his fur.

"Glakkickh?"

"Yeah." The ottsel made a squeaking noise and Jak looked at him in alarm.

I grinned. "It means fleshling." I pulled some ointment out of my subspace compartment. "Here, rub this into the patches without fur," I tossed the small vial to him. He was blissfully silent as he complied. The ottsel made more noises and scrunched up his face.

"My name is Jak," he said finally, lying the ottsel over his shoulder.

"I know."

"Well, you could call me by my name," he said.

"I could."

We trudged on for a while longer. Jak sighed every once in a while, and then stopped.

"This doesn't need to be difficult," he said, scratching the ottsel gently behind the ears.

"I agree." I folded my arms.

Jak rolled his eyes. "You could at least tell me your name," he said. "And whether or not you believe me, I do appreciate your helping Daxter."

"I believe you." I pulled out my Citizenship papers. "My name is Thrinaxia."

Jak took them. "These are void now," he mumbled. Then his eyes widened. "Woah." I assumed he was looking at my credentials. "What is this stuff?"

"Doctorates in Biometallics, Herbal Medicine, and Universal Anatomy and Physiology," I said, counting them off on my fingers. "I graduated from the University at High Falls in Perpetua City."

"Where's Perpetua?"

I shook my head. The ignorance of people these days. "Haven City isn't the only urban establishment in the world," I said. "Perpetua is about 500 standards west of Haven."

He raised his eyebrows. "Did you know Vin?"

"Did he work in biology?"

Jak shrugged. "Not sure. He was really smart."

"Oh, yes, and just because someone was really smart, I should know him." I shook my head again. The Glakkickh looked hurt.

"He was my friend. Metal Heads killed him," he said, looking up at the sky.

I sighed. "You'll forgive me, Glakkickh, I haven't seen one of our own kind for quite a while. Let me think a minute," I said gently, even though inside I was thinking that if a Metal Head killed someone, he probably deserved it. "Vin, Vin..." I opened my directory and searched. "Ah yes, here he is. He graduated from the Qua'kaddian Institute of Haven. Yes," I nodded, "he must have been very smart."

Jak nodded and looked down from the sky to me. "What's that thing?" He pointed to the green that stuck out from under my sleeves.

"This is my suit," I said. "I made it from a Metal Head kidney secretion. It's translucent green, as you can see," I pulled my black sleeves up, "it binds tightly to my skin. The helmet, gloves, and boots are retractable. It generates a shield which offers excellent protection from Metal Heads and, as I just learned today, gunshots." I pulled the zipper that ran from the side of my neck to the middle of my left arm. "It's powered by a cranial scintillation I've embedded in my shoulder."

Jak stared. The cranial scintillation sparked as I removed the protective casing. I had cut out the head of my own humerus and several shoulder bones to make room for it. I glanced around, as this was the most vulnerable position I could possibly be in.

"Does it hurt?" he asked.

"No. Well, it hurt to put it in, but it's healed now." I snapped the clear protective casing back over it and zipped up the side of my shirt. "These clothes aren't special at all," I said, pointing to my black shirt, pants, and vest, "except that they have modifications for dealing with my suit."

"Very cool," the Glakkickh said.

I carefully instructed the suit to become as minimal as possible. "Hold still," I said to Jak. "Very still."

He looked alarmed. "What?"

"Shh!"

With the shield down and the suit making as little background noise as possible, I sensed it. Yes, it was definitely there. "Why," I breathed slowly, "do you have dark eco running through your veins?"

The Glakkickh stepped back. I returned the suit to full power. "How could you tell?"

I laughed. "You don't work with creatures that feed off of the stuff without getting to know a little about it. I can feel it in you. You should be dead."

Jak sneered. "Maybe I should tell you why I didn't care for the Baron."


	5. Transporter Woes

We reached the transporter just as Jak finished his story.

"That's fascinating," I said, and begrudgingly gave him a little more respect in my mind. "I didn't know about the Baron's experiments with people." A bit of doubt crept into my heart. "You must have some amazing adaptations, Glakkickh."

"What did you call me?!"

Joy. The ottsel had awoken. He puffed up indignantly.

"Not you. Him," I pointed to Jak.

"What's it mean?" Daxter squinted at me.

"Fleshling."

"Oh, that's real nice. What am I?"

I hesitated. There was no Metal Head word for 'small fuzzy irritant.' Finally I said, "Schmekag."

"An' what's that mean?"

"Tasty morsel."

The ottsel made a yelping noise and jumped onto Jak's shoulder. "I'm stayin' away from that one. She's crazy."

The Glakkickh didn't take notice, though. "There's something wrong with the transporter," he said.

"What?!" Daxter danced around nervously, almost falling off his perch. "We can't be stuck here! Not with all those Metal Heads!"

"Is the power grid working in Haven City?" I asked. Jak shrugged. "I don't know very much about these things," I admitted. "Let me see."

I tinkered with the thing for half an hour before resigning myself to the forest floor. "I have no idea what's wrong with it," I said. "It could be that the eco reserves are empty, or the city isn't accepting anyone right now, or the warp tunnels are working at full capacity, or the grid is down, or..." I trailed off.

"Is there another one around here?" asked Jak.

"No." I pulled out my detailed map of the area. "This is the Reserve. It's forty square standards of Sector 7G." I pointed to the two large red splotches. "These are the areas of activity for my populations. This is the transporter," I pointed to the blue circle at the bottom of the map. "This is my house," I pointed to the gray square at the top of the paper. "Haven city is this way," a small arrow pointed north over the water surrounding the peninsula. "There's a dock by my house. I have an emergency vehicle there we could use to get to the city."

"How long does it take to get from here to there?" The Glakkickh asked.

"Just a day or so."

"A day or so?!" The ottsel screamed. "I don't wanna be here a day or so!" He ran up to the transporter and started banging on its golden frame. "Work! Argh! Stupid precursor crap!" He ran around in circles, whining and crying.

My eye twitched. "Tell the Schmekag to stop, or I'll summon the nearest herd of Metal Heads."

Jak picked up the ottsel and set him firmly onto his shoulder. "Shut up, Daxter," he said. "You don't wanna get this lady mad."

"Humph. Who is she, anyway?" He peered at me with the same stare that had made me uncomfortable before.

"Dr. Thrinaxia," I said, and listed my areas of expertise.

"Woah," he said, "it must'a taken forever to learn all that stuff. No wonder you're so old." Jak smacked him before I had a chance to.

I shot them both a look, then started heading north. "You've got a lot more than Metal Heads to worry about here," I said. "A few hundred years ago there was a heavy migration of large insects to the reserve. I've traced their genetic origins to the oldest parts of Haven City, but the record is spotty."

"What sorts of insects?" asked the ottsel, chewing his claws.

"Large spiders and polylegged crawlers."

"Yealch! The Spider Cave," said Daxter.

"Perhaps. I believe the remains of those caves are currently unknown. There are records of it in some of the old legends, but nothing substantial."


	6. White Moon Mushrooms

The sun had set over an hour ago. I had urged the two to keep walking, but now Daxter was complaining even more loudly.

"My legs!" He held one up and nearly lost his balance. "I can't take another step."

I looked at him, unamused. "You've been riding on Glakkickh's shoulder the whole time."

"Well, it's not that easy," snapped Daxter. "I gotta keep my balance, and if I wrap my tail too tight around his neck he starts to complain he can't breathe." The ottsel leaned over Jak's head and stared into his eyes, upside down. "Isn't that right?"

Jak grunted and Daxter settled into the curve of his shoulder. "Told ya so," he said. "Can we stop, now?"

I looked around. "All right. This seems suitable." I pulled a log into the middle of the tiny clearing and sat on it. "The safest place to sleep is in the trees. I can show you how to make a hammock in a while. Let's eat, first."

Daxter made a nervous sound. "Eh heh, doc, we don't have any food."

"You came to an unknown Sector without supplies?" I said. "Incredible."

"Well, it was supposed to be an easy one-shot sorta day," said the tasty morsel, flicking his tail at me. "But someone wouldn't let us finish our mission."

I shook my head in disgust. "Glakkickh, put a pile of cranial scintillations in a biconcave pyramidal configuration," I said, pointing to the ground in front of the log.

"Put what in a what?"

I glared at the ottsel. "Put the disgusting amount of skull gems Glakkickh has in his subspace compartment here," I stamped my foot on the ground.

"Yeesh, okay, okay," Daxter reached into Jak's subspace compartment and pulled out a small pile of cranial scintillations. "How do I put them?" He asked delicately.

"I'll do it." My fingers shook slightly as I thought of all the lives Glakkickh had terminated to get this shining pile. I arranged them properly. "Now cover them in river silt. There's a stream over there," I pointed. "I'll get some supplies for dinner." Before they could protest, I marched away.

Harvesting white moon mushrooms would be best, I thought. They were nutritious and easily made into soup. I climbed up an infested tree and plucked a bunch of the fungi caps. I made sure they were mature caps, as a powerful sedative ran through the stalks when they were young. I wagered Jak would never guess a young white moon mushroom extract could put him to sleep permanently. They glowed faintly when subjected to moonlight, hence the name. I held them up into a patch of light, and watched the biophosphorescence. "That's lovely," I said.

A roaring bonfire warmed me as I entered the clearing. "That's amazing," I muttered to Daxter. "You've managed to do something right."

"And it's not the first time," said the mammal, pushing out his chest. I rolled my eyes. "And thanks for warning us! I nearly burned the rest of my fur off when we put the dirt on the gems."

"It's a little known secret," I said, grinning. "The minerals in river silt react with the ions of old cranial scintillations and combust." I pulled a black kettle from my subspace compartment and situated it above the fire. "This is a very interesting sort of flame," I said. "Note how the kettle hovers just above the blue part, and there is no smoke."

Flames danced in their eyes. I left them to stare into the hypnotizing fire and started slicing mushrooms. For a bit of spice, I sprinkled some roasted cherry bark into the kettle and filled it halfway with water. A fine aroma ensued, and I stirred the soup with an unmeltable plastic spoon.

"I only have one bowl," I said, breaking the silence. "We can take turns." I disinfected it, wolfed down some soup, disinfected it again, and handed it to the Glakkickh.

"This is really good," he said.

"How come the fire doesn't make any noise?" asked Daxter. He picked up a stick and threw it into the blaze, but it remained unburned.

"Conventional fires use wood as fuel. The crackling sound you hear in that situation is the wood breaking and burning. This is a chemical fire. It is soundless." I pulled him back by the tail as he tried to retrieve the stick. "I'm not entirely sure what a scintillation fire will do to a sick ottsel," I warned.

For once, Daxter didn't say anything. He nodded and waited for his turn to eat. He scarfed his soup down and fell asleep. I was not surprised. Mature white moon mushrooms induced sleep in many species of mammals.

"You can sleep here," I said, showing the Glakkickh how to make a hammock from the sweeping leaves of the gingham tree. "I'll stay by the fire."

"Um. Thrinaxia?" Jak stood by the flickering light, pulling his sleeve up. "Can you look at this? It's where Dax bit me earlier."

I hesitated. I reached out, encircling his wrist with my fingers. His skin was warm, and I felt his ulna and radius beneath my gentle pressure. "The cuts are shallow and not infected. They should heal in a few days. If not, I have something I can give you."

"Thanks." He stared at my hand. "Can I have my arm back?"

"Of course," I relaxed my grip immediately. "It's been a very long time since I've touched another person, Glakkickh." I turned my back to him and sat by the fire.

It was not until I heard the combined snoring of Jak and his companion that I doused the chemical fire and slept.


	7. Spartle Gun

"Shoot it, Jak! Shoot it!"

I groaned, turning over and pulling my blanket over my head. One second, where's my blanket? Eyes still closed I ventured out a hand, feeling for the warm yakkow fur.

"SHOOT IT!"

I yawned. What sort of dream was I having?

Wait a minute...

I opened my eyes to the maw of _Gigantus sprinklius_; two sets of teeth ringing the bottom jaw and three above, the front incisor pairs dripping with toxic venom and the triforked tongue winding its way towards my neck. I could see down into its red throat with white ribbing, past the two huge infected tonsils and thorny uvula.

"Oh dear," I said.

BLAM!

The throat rocked backwards just as my shield activated. I sprang off the ground, groaning a little at my old knees. Definitely not a dream. Now I remembered.

The _sprinklius_ reared up on its six hundred or so legs and roared. The Glakkickh recharged his Peace Maker, a new design, I noted, and Daxter screamed obscenities from his shoulder. He rolled to the left as the polylegged crawler spat venom. "Thrinaxia!"

I pulled my spartle gun out from my homemade subspace compartment and set it to _Schwannsyl_. "What?"

Jak ducked again and fired, blue energy crackling through the air and penetrating the _sprinklius_ in the thorax. "You okay?"

"Fine," I squinted one eye and aimed. My morning arthritis was acting up, and I held my right hand steady with my left. "Clear out!" I howled a warning just in case any Metal Heads were nearby and pulled the double trigger.

Click-click! The first bullets were dark eco laced with _Schwannsyl_, and the second pure dark eco. They hit the creature's thick kretonate hide and buried through.

"Get back!" I screamed, running for the trees at the edge of our small clearing. Jak did an impressive double jump and joined me.

"What the heck did you do to that thing?" asked the ottsel, peering over Jak's shoulder.

The polylegged crawler convulsed, undulating its huge body through the air. It screamed. Eco pulsed through it, sending its legs into spasms. Lines of white flashed along its body, from its brain along the splintered spine, a disturbing skeleton of light.

"The dark eco bullets were infused with a nerve destroying substance," I said, quickly spinning my gun back to the off position. "The eco acts as a catalyst for the _Schwannsyl_, which normally eats through nerve tissue slowly. Though as I said, the eco is a catalyst," I paused and looked at them, the agony of the beast reflected in their wide eyes, "you do know what a catalyst is, don't you?"

They shook their heads no. I squinted and saw that the white lines in their eyes were turning red. "The creature's head will probably explode soon. I would advise ducking." With a careful half-nod I activated the shield to full power. The protective face covering rose and the world turned a little more green.

The Glakkickh took my advice, thankfully, and we crawled under some rockbrush. "This will protect us," I said, pointing to the plant's leaves, which appeared gray to Jak but an alien green-gray to me. Daxter looked at it warily. "A catalyst is a chemical that-"

The clearing exploded in a shower of steaming _sprinklius_ guts and little conglomerates of dark eco. A reddish fog wafted through, stinking of raw meat and the sickening smell of combusted _Schwannsyl._

"-accelerates or helps to complete a chemical reaction." I motioned for them to wait just a little longer, in case there were secondary explosions. "The eco speeds the _Schwannsyl_ through the fibrous nerve casings, causing those cells to hyperactivate. That caused the violent spasms you saw," I pointed one finger towards the clearing. "The total amount of electrical energy running through a _Gigantus sprinklius_ is enough to destabilize the eco, which has conveniently run through the entire organism and concentrates in the brain area, and it explodes."

"Uh huh," said Daxter, lowering his eyelids halfway. He wiggled his fingers at my gun. "So where can we get us one of those?"

I snatched it away. "You can't. I invented this one, and I doubt you could understand how half the settings work." I spun the dial, and we watched the words as they sped by, each accompanied by a specific clicking tone. _Spartle, Schwannsyl, EnNervate_, _Primordial Expansion_, and more. Some were worn, as I didn't have the right kind of paint to touch up the letters.

"Can I see it?" The ottsel rubbed his paws together.

I lowered my face shield. "No, you may not see it." I reset it to off and flicked on the safety. "This is a very dangerous piece of weaponry."

The Glakkickh grinned. "Something just draws us to dangerous weaponry, doesn't it?" He clapped Daxter on the back and they both smiled at me.

I rolled my eyes. "In most cases the male population of _Procorsor elegens_ is sadly misdirected in the valuing of its priorities." Daxter opened his mouth to say something. "And in your case, the very tiny male population of _Ottselus squattus_ is also in need of reconfiguring its priorities."

"Was that an insult?" Daxter pointed one digit at me and frowned.

"Yes. Especially if you can't tell it was."

"Humph."

I crawled out from under the rockbrush and stood. "Be careful," I warned, attaching the spartle gun to the ring at my right hip, "there are small pools of suspended dark eco everywhere."

"Jak loves those! Oo, watch this- Jak, run into that little bunch over there," the ottsel pointed to a patch. Jak jumped over smoking exoskeleton pieces and leg shell.

"Don't-" I stepped over a heaving pile of _sprinklius_ small intestine.

The dark eco spun for half a second, then flew through the air and absorbed into the Glakkickh. Eco crackled from his body to the ground in fine lightening form. I wiped sweat off my forehead. "Fascinating. Utterly fascinating!" He smiled. I made my way over carefully and inspected him. He didn't move as I took his arm and pulled the sleeve up. "No outside disturbance to the skin, and you obviously aren't dead. Does it run through the nervous system?" I squinted at his arm, flipping it over and pressing my first two fingers into the inside of his elbow. A pulse of blood and dark eco. I pointed to the conglomerates on the ground. "What does it feel like when the eco enters your body?"

His face fell and he looked away. "I don't really want to talk about that." He pulled his arm back.

"Is there a common axis to the absorption?" I indicated a line down the center of my chest to show what I meant.

He shrugged.

"This is due to the Baron's experimentation?"

"Yeah." He kicked at the ground and there was an uncomfortable silence until the ottsel shouted again.

"There's some more! Go get that!"

Jak took off and started absorbing all the conglomerates of dark eco in the clearing. I watched for a few more minutes, then bent my head and inspected the ground for the remains of the polylegged crawler's liver.

I found it at the other end of the clearing, partially charred but still usable. Sealing an undamaged portion in a special bag, I shoved it into my subspace compartment. "You might be handy later," I said. I turned and measured the area of the biological wreckage with a laser tape and scribbled notes.

"Glakkickh!"

He looked up, blue and purple crackling around his hands as he took in the last of the dark eco. "What?"

"Can you please grab that bit of leg shell? Right there, by your foot. Yes, thank you."

He jogged over and handed it to me. I pulled out some disinfectant. "This," I said, pouring the cleaning fluid over the shell, "is an excellent source of calcium." I took a bite.

"Gross! Lady, you just ate that thing's toenails!" Daxter stuck out his tongue and made gagging noises.

"Leg shell," I corrected, my mouth full. "A leg shell a day keeps the osteoporosis at bay. Well, not really a day," I waved it around, "just every once in a while. Try a little?"

Jak made a face. "Uh, no thanks."

I shrugged and finished off the shell. It ground to a fine powder and adhered to my teeth. I didn't like that feeling, as it made my tongue squeak over them, but it was also good for preserving the enamel.

I washed my face and hands with disinfectant. "Hold this a minute, will you?" I handed Jak my laser tape and dug into my subspace compartment for my arthritis pills. I popped two and took the tape back. "Thank you." I shoved everything into the compartment and pulled out the map. "We're about here," I pointed. "Maybe another ten hours or so and we'll be at my house."

"Ten hours?" Daxter scratched behind his ears with one furless leg. "We can pass the time with a song! I know a little ditty about the adventures of a fearless ottsel named Daxter-"

Three minutes into our walk I turned to the Glakkickh and spat in clear Metal Head, "shut up that Schmekag, _now_."

Jak didn't know what I had said, exactly, but got the overall message. "Dax, put a lid on it."

"-had vanquished the mighty Metal Head nest, and conquered Kor the unbrave, for he was a mighty fine ottsel, and had never- mmmffffkk!" Jak slapped his hand over Daxter's muzzle.

"So, what kind of gun is that?" The Glakkickh said over the sound of his companion's angry muffled protests.

I sighed. "It's called a spartle gun."

He laughed.

"What?"

"Spartle."

I shook my head. "It means 'scatter.' I developed it shortly after I arrived here. It's a perfect defense against Metal Heads. It will render them incapacitated for short amounts of time, in case something unusual happens and I need to extract myself from a dangerous situation. It doesn't hurt them at all."

He snorted. "That's a shame."

I turned, glancing at the ground to make sure I wouldn't trip over some roots. "You do not understand," I said. "There is no reason to exterminate an entire species. They have so many incredible adaptations and organic materials that cannot be found anywhere else. The few things you've seen on my person," I pointed to my shield, my gun, and where the cranial scintillation was buried beneath the skin of my shoulder, "are almost nothing compared to what we could harvest from them."

"You are aware of what they've done to Haven, aren't you?" The Glakkickh regarded me with cool blue eyes.

"Of course I am. They are a separate population, operating under a different social hierarchy than those I am studying on this peninsula. They've got their own right to exist, just as we do, though."

He folded his arms. "They attacked the city, Thrinaxia."

I hate when people say my name like that. "Listen, young man," I pushed my shoulders back as far as they could go and tried to appear taller. "You have absolutely no authority here. You have disrupted my work. You will not take that tone of voice with me!"

Jak stared at me, not looking away. I stared back at him until my eyes watered.

"Innocent people were killed," he said softly.

I gritted my teeth. They squeaked a little from the leg shell powder. "Metal Heads were killed, too, I imagine."

"Yes, because they were attacking Haven!"

"Was that due to an eco starvation? Were you and the renegades charging into their territory and blasting their eggs apart? Is what he said earlier-" I jabbed my finger at the ottsel and poked his nose harder than I meant to.

"Hey! Don't touch the face!"

"-about the Metal Head nest being destroyed true?"

"Yes!" The Glakkickh stopped walking and stood with his feet apart, a threatening position. "We destroyed it ourselves!"

My fists shook at my sides. The shield sputtered, not knowing whether to raise itself or not. Finally I hissed something vile in Metal Head and turned on my heels.

"What, hey, what's she doing?!"

"She's pissed off, Dax."

"She can't leave us here! What're we gonna do?"

I activated my shields and then silently commanded the cranial scintillation to power up the green exoderm in a different wavelength.

"Hey! Where'd she go?"

"Aww... she must have that Metal Head invisibility."

I took a deep breath and stood behind a tree.

"Crap." I heard the Glakkickh sigh.

This is immature, I thought idly.

"Look, Thrinaxia," oh Mar, he was using my name again, "we're sorry-"

"We? What's all this we? She stabbed my nose-"

"We're sorry we messed up your egg hatching studying or whatever. I promised I wouldn't hurt any more Metal Heads here, and I keep my word. Help us get back to Haven and I'll talk to Ashelin. Maybe she'll let you keep working with these populations. As long as they don't attack the city, I guess."

"That's a lot of stuff from the guy who used to never say a word."

"Shut up, Dax."

They waited for a reply. I took another deep breath and switched the wavelength back to visible. "Apology accepted," I said. They walked up to the tree and Jak made a slight shrugging motion. "Schmekag, your eyes are getting red again." I fished out a vial. "Drink some of this."

He squinted at it and took a sip. "Ew!" He wiped his mouth. "I mean, thanks, doc."

I sighed. "The creature we destroyed in the clearing is an evolved form of the polylegged beasts you saw in the Spider caves. That's my hypothesis, though. It seems that there was a horrible rift in the time continuum which caused the migration. There were a few rifts, actually. Some from modern Haven to the past, and some back again." I deactivated the shield entirely and made doubly sure the spartle gun was firmly attached to my hip. "As I've said before, my specialty is with life and not physics and time travel and such."

"Some of those rifts were probably us coming here," said the ottsel. His eyes were clearing up.

"Yes, according to your story. Yes, that would work." I looked up through the leafy trees. "I've heard that Haven was once very beautiful."

Jak nodded. "It's where I grew up."

I checked my internal compass and pointed. "We need to start heading this way now. I'm very interested in what the Baron's experiments have done to you, Glakkickh-"

"You know, you could call him Jak-"

"-but I also understand it may be painful. Please let me know when I can study you," I said it as gently as I could.

He made a face.

"No, I don't mean," I put up my hands, "in an invasive way. Maybe I can figure out what he did. I'm sure you know more about what the eco's doing to you than I do, for the moment."

"Hey Jak! Maybe there's a cure for you!" Daxter smiled at his friend for a second. He gasped. "Maybe there's a cure for me!" He waved in my face ecstatically. "Do you think you can help me, doc?"

"With a proper laboratory I can try."

Daxter put his paws together. "Imagine! Me, scampering around on my front two feet again! And pants! _Pants!_"

I almost laughed as the Schmekag drooled. "We'll see what I can do while I'm in Haven. I don't intend to stay there. This is where I belong." I waved around the forest.

Jak pressed his lips together. "Yeah, we'll see."


	8. Unrenewable Resources

"Are we there yet?" Daxter idly flicked his tail around Jak's face.

I sighed. "Almost." We had had nearly an hour of silence, possible only by the fact that the ottsel had been sleeping.

The Glakkickh shrugged half-heartedly and trudged on. The forest had begun to thin. Towering trees were replaced by split boulders, and the various shrubs dwindled to patches of flowers. The mid afternoon sky yawned overhead, endless blue and white. I tilted my head back and felt my vertebrae disagree with the movement. Daxter winced at the cracking sounds.

"This incline here leads to a moderate cliff." I pointed to a dusty path on our right. It wound up and around, cutting through a huge boulder and out of sight. "Don't be alarmed at the sensors. Most large animals stay away from this area."

The two looked at each other and followed me. After squeezing through the boulder, a sweeping beam of red light washed over us. Daxter squeaked.

"It's just verifying our identities."

"How does it know we're here?" Jak touched the boulder wall lightly.

"I sent clearance through a while ago." I pointed to the back of my neck. "This suit has many functions."

He smiled a little. Once the boulder had finished, we pressed on. Daxter scrambled ahead of us, looking around.

"This... is odd." He tapped his chin with one paw.

The entire area was devoid of ornamental plants. The dirt was punctuated by assorted boulders and patches of weeds. "The domed structure is my house," I pointed to the modest gray building. "That's my observatory," I swung my arm to indicate a tiny tower. "That's my lab, and that's the greenhouse on top."

The lab was a huge gray building running the length of the cliffs. The second floor of the lab was entirely lead-rimmed glass. Tables and tables of plants, pipes, and exotic machinery could be seen within, glowing and shaking. The buildings were built to the edge of the cliffs, behind which the sea could be seen.

The Glakkickh whistled. "What a view," he said.

"Yes, it is rather lovely." I strode toward the house. "Let me get some things. I want to show you a project I've been working on in the greenhouse, and then we'll go down to the ship."

I left them to stroll around and explore; everything was locked up and tightly guarded, so I was confident they wouldn't cause any trouble. The house smelled musty. I opened a window and looked around. I stuffed rations, water bottles, and money into my subspace compartment until it was nearly full. Opening the safe under the sink, I retrieved my spartle gun cartridges and the disk that held the entirety of my research. I copied the disk hurriedly, put the original back, and looked around the house once more. "Oh, what else might I need?" I folded some extra clothes into a bundle, grabbed a few assorted oddities, and shut the window.

In the small cellar I turned the Frame Worker on. "Thrinaxia, access code _one one zero one zero zero one zero one one zero-_" The code went on for about a minute. The black screen lit up. "Alpha function, automatic look-after. Safety in digression. Rely on Pilot Guide for problems. Contact Greensuit in event of emergency. Visiting location; Haven. Updates nightly. Return date unknown. Alpha function cease." This command ensured that the massive amount of electronics and continuing experiments would operate in my absence. I flicked the alarm on, went upstairs, and locked the door. Jak and Daxter waited by the observatory.

"What do you look at from this thing?" Daxter slapped the golden metal and grinned. "Can you see Haven from here?" He walked up to me, wiggling his eyebrows. "At night, can you see... the ladies?"

I glared at him. "This instrument is for _Metal Head_ observation alone." He snorted and waved one paw at me. "And, if you must know, no, I cannot see Haven City from here." I turned and walked to the laboratory. "It's too far away."

_Na da sco k-chur na cra su-_ I sang the long Metal Head mating song lyrics into the laboratory door panel. A yellow bar flashed and the door slid open. "Quickly," I said, ducking in. The two followed me and I flicked on the lights.

"Wow."

I looked at the Glakkickh's face and chuckled. "Yes, it's a little messy. I have not had visitors," I thought back. "Ever."

I waited patiently as they looked around, figuring that curiosity was a healthy sign of intelligence. Computers and shining grids ran around this particular room. All available space was taken, from the corners of the ceilings to the tiny spaces between the shelves and the floor. Papers, readouts, disks, and recordable miniscreens were spread throughout. The air was reasonably dry and cool, bathed in off-white lighting.

"This way." I wound around piles of outdated scientific papers and unused recycling containers. "This is the most disorganized part of the building, believe me. Other rooms are very different from this- I am able to control the temperature, humidity, air pressure and other such variables for my tests."

"Do you experiment on Metal Heads?" The Glakkickh asked as he tried to hold Daxter onto his shoulder. The persistent orange mammal jumped off.

"Occasionally. I do not have any within the facility at the moment. Don't touch anything!"

Daxter's paw was nanostandards from one of the Eco levers. "I uh... heh heh." He swung his wiggling digits away from the lever and over the control panel. "What does this do?"

"Don't touch!"

Daxter pushed the red button. I swore in Metal Head and squeezed my fists. The shield activated.

"Oops-"

The metal pipe above us shook and thundered. Thousands of gallons of liquid could be heard gushing through its length. In distant regions of the building, machinery groaned to life. I grabbed the ottsel by the scruff of the neck. Jak took a step forward, holding out his hand, about to protest.

"You are very lucky," I hissed through my face mask. Daxter's eyes were wide and green as I glared, "that I eventually needed to push that button. Do not touch anything else here if you value your appendages." He shrugged uneasily. I made a point to look down. "_All_ of your currently functioning appendages!" I threw him aside. He landed, unhurt, and shot me a nasty look. I ignored it and lowered the shield. Jak glanced at me with a mixture of anger and humor. I shook my head at him. "Please, control your _friend._"

As I walked away I heard him picking up the Schmekag.

"C'mon, Dax, don't get us in any more trouble."

"Did you see what she did?! As if I hadn't lost enough fur, now she's stressing me out-"

"Shut it."

"I'd take Vin's gunshots over this broad any day!"

"Shut up, Dax!"

I punched some numbers into another door and it slid aside. "We're going upstairs." I headed up without looking behind me.

I took a deep breath; the scorching air burned my lungs. I ordered the suit to maintain a cool temperature and moved aside so Jak could enter the tiny room. "This," I said slowly, "is an Acclimation Room." He nodded and I saw sweat bead on his forehead. Daxter stuck out his tongue and fanned his face. "We'll wait here a few more seconds to adjust. Parts of the greenhouse mimic desert or waste land environments. Such is the case for the section I would like to show you."

"Why," panted the ottsel, "do you have a desert in here?"

I groaned internally, wishing I had taken the time to get us some heat masks. "We will not be here long, and you have already made it clear that I cannot leave you downstairs on your own." I turned and the second set of doors opened.

Bright yellow pressed down on us and I heard Daxter wheezing. _This is probably going to aggravate his post-allergy condition._ I glanced at the ottsel. He stared back, a mass of drool accumulating at the end of his tongue.

I motioned with my hand and we walked up to the maze in the center of the room. Hundreds of white platforms were interconnected with various shallow tunnels and ramps running through them. Tiny, thick-leaved plants grew out of every bit of the platforms, crowning the white with spiky green. Four tiers of the maze were copied, one on top of the next, rising to the ceiling. I pointed up.

"That button you pushed activated the eco irrigation." I indicated the nearest ramp. "These plants are found in the desert, so I have mimicked their environment. South of the transporter we were unable to use is a boarder of Thorn Wood, which is where these plants are from." The two panted at me. "You think this is harsh; just a little further south of that are the Waste Lands. They stretch for standards and standards." The suit slid a glove over my right hand. I dipped my fingers into the ramp, between the thick leaves of the tiny plants. "Sand." I picked up some of the yellow grains and showed them. They nodded. I sprinkled the sand back over the plant. "These are a marvelous species."

"They look pretty puny to me." He was about to poke one of them, then decided not to.

"Looks can be deceiving, Schmekag." We looked up and watched the dark eco flow through the tunnels of the maze, darkening the white platforms. "_Mirabilis crassula._ Glakkickh, do you know what a non-renewable resource is?"

He shook his head.

"You can cut down a tree, and grow one in its place. That is a renewable resource." I touched the tiny _crassula_ gently. "Eco is mined from the ground. Someday it will run out. That is a non-renewable resource. Do you understand?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Though, I think they've already run out."

My eyes widened. "All the more reason to support my research," I said. "This plant, this wonderful plant, might be able to replenish the eco reserves."

Jak watched the dark eco flow. I removed my hand from the ramp as it came oozing down. "I see," he said. He took a deep breath, making a face at the dry air that stung his throat.

"It is an amazing adaptation. I've estimated that just a few square standards of _crassula_ farm would manufacture enough eco to keep Haven going. Of course, more would be needed to support Perpetua and Sickle..." I trailed off, thinking of my home city. The Glakkickh looked at me. "There are still enough eco reserves, for now. Praxis- ah, Ashelin only needs to know where to look. But we cannot take from the earth without either replenishing or paying a price."

"Well," Daxter twisted his mouth. "Doesn't seem like you need to study freakin' Metal Heads to do this."

"Actually, I do." I smiled at his frown. "These plants have a symbiotic relationship with a fungus which is only able to reproduce inside the seeds of rockbrush fruit, which in turn can only be fertilized by the spastic movements of the _Spumantus murmurea_ subspecies of Metal Head."

"That's weird." Daxter folded his arms over his chest. "Stupid eco plants! They should be evolved enough to deal without spumy murmy. Or whatever you said."

"All life is inextricably connected," I said, waving my hands around the room. "If you destroy one tiny link, the entire chain weakens." I turned to the Glakkickh. "Do you see now?"

"Sounds like Old Loggin' Noggin to me," muttered Daxter.

"I think so." Jak hesitantly touched a _crassula_ with one finger. I watched with interest, wondering if his condition would have any effect on the plant. "If you're feeding them eco, how do they replenish it?"

I bit my lip. "I said they might be able to replenish it. This species is in need of a few more generations worth of tweaking. There are a couple of enzymes left that have to be changed; I've been working on this project for years. Most of the eco you see here was recycled from the generation before this. I had to add 'real' eco to it to stabilize it." I sighed as his skeptical look returned and he let go of the plant. "They are only found near dark eco pools in the wild. They utilize it like Metal Heads do, only with the herbaceous equivalent metabolic pathways. It is not difficult to understand how one may change the process, if one understands how it works."


	9. Sweetie Trees

Jak wiped sweat off his forehead. "Is there anything else you wanted to show us?"

I thought. "I'm trying to recreate the old Haven environment in another room, if you're interested."

"Ooh, Jak. Do you think she has Sweetie trees?" Daxter tapped his digits on Jak's shoulder. "Do you have Sweetie trees, doc?"

"Yes, I do."

"All right!"

"I had to tinker with the genes of the living ancestors," I said, walking around the perimeter of the room to the next door. The walls were made of blurry glass, so one environment's light could not affect its neighbor's. "I found a few Sweetie trees at the edge of Dead Town, in Haven, before it was ravaged by hurricanes. There were also a few specimens in Old Atena." I whispered a password and the door opened. "That's in Perpetua." Jak shrugged at me. "I'll explain world geography to you later," I rolled my eyes. "This is another Acclimation Room."

We squeezed in and all took a deep breath. The air was a pleasant humidity and comfortably warm. The second set of glass doors opened and Jak stepped out onto the white sand.

"Holy yakkow..." Daxter's eyes widened. The room, much smaller than the one we had left, was naturally illuminated by the sun above.

"Sandover!" The Glakkickh shut his eyes. "It smells like home."

Sweetie trees, their nearly identical palm tree cousins, and short grasses grew in half the room. Butterflies flitted around the area. A tiny, painfully expensive green eco fountain bubbled in the middle. Beyond it were the species I had managed to scrape up from what I believed was an ancient swampy area. The carnivorous plants and Slithy trees grew in murky water. A fanged fish poked its head up lazily, eyed us, and dove back down between the roots.

"There aren't any Lurker sharks in there, are there?" Daxter rolled around in the sand. "I never wanna leave!"

"No. No Lurkers." I walked up to a Sweetie tree. "I suppose you'd like one of these." I gripped its branchless trunk and prepared to shake it.

"Let me!" Daxter ran up and shook the trunk with all his might. A few Sweetie fruits dropped from the giant leaves above. "Whee-hee!" He crammed them into his mouth. "Feyre gusht ash goot ash I 'amemblugh!"

Jak laughed and fought Daxter for the last one. I watched as they tumbled in the sand, collapsing countless sand flea nests in the process. Fishing into my subspace compartment, I pulled out my water flask.

"Mammals," I said, taking a drink.

They turned, looked at me incredulously, and continued fighting. Jak finally held it up in victory, grinned, dusted off the sand that had settled into its pitted surface, and shoved it into his mouth. "Mar, I mish dat."

"Not all of Haven is useless," I said lazily. "Now, if you can bother to use your imaginations, I've tried to recreate about fifty ancient and current environments in this greenhouse. And you haven't even seen the lab." Jak shook the Sweetie tree and more fruits fell. "Save some, please, or I won't be able to ensure their survival."

"Think Keira would like a few?" Jak pocketed half the fruits.

"Yeah." Daxter peeled a Sweetie fruit and bit into it. "No, wait, we should make her pay for them! I bet we'd get a sweet price offa these! Heh, sweet price, get it?"

I scowled. "Any profits you make would be kindly returned to the lab, please."

"Ehh..." Daxter did his best to tune me out.

"As I was saying, I've got environments here from all around this part of the world. There are things out there you haven't dreamed of."

"That's a scary thought," Daxter said. "Goatee-boy here gets nightmares constantly."

I sighed and pushed myself off the ground. "Let's get down to the boat." They reluctantly followed. In the Acclimation Room I pried Daxter's paws apart. "You can't take indigenous species with you!"

With several impolite comments he turned and released the jeweled butterfly. Jak put his hand to the door as it slid shut, blurring the tiny utopia beyond. He sighed. "Thanks, Thrinaxia."

"Don't mention it." The second set of doors opened and hot air hit us. We held our breaths and ran through the _crassula_ room. I pounded the exit code and within a minute we were down the stairs and back outside.


	10. Boat Without Sails

The sun was low, burning streaks of orange and red through the water. Daxter looked down the length of the lab with a touch of newfound respect. The greenhouses above flashed red, and then the internal lighting took over. Half went dark.

"What's with that?" Daxter pointed to the black glass.

"High altitude environments, mostly," I said, turning to my house. "And the Sickle environments. Though they are devilishly tricky to maintain." We walked to the back and I pointed down. "It's a steep staircase. You can go ahead of me. My knees will make me go... ah... rather slowly."

I refused Jak's offer to carry me down several times. Daxter was already at the dock when the Glakkickh shook his head and turned. I gripped the railing and bit my lower lip. The wood was shaky. As I had anticipated, halfway down my knees froze. I sighed, carefully reached into my subspace compartment, and popped some Liqui-cap pills. The unfortunate side effect was drowsiness. I shook my head and started down again.

A full ten minutes later Jak looked at me. "I wouldn't've minded," he said.

"Yes, but I would have." I groaned and stretched my legs. I stifled a yawn.

"Weird boat," said the ottsel. "Where's the sails?"

"It doesn't have any." The boat bobbed next to the dock, a tear-shaped, windowless metal and wood creation. I entered the access code and the door swung open, "get in."

"It's more like a submarine," said Daxter, peering into the dark room inside.

"It's enclosed, yes." I climbed in carefully and pushed the boat away from the dock. "Yes," I yawned. "Submarine." I tapped the destination into the computer. "Now, remember," I yawned again.

"You okay, doc?"

I waved a hand at him and yawned again. "Shh. Remember, this is an emergency vehicle. It may go faster than-"

With a jolt, the boat shot forward.

"-you expected it to."

"Woah!" Jak grabbed the walls. The boat tipped down and skimmed along the underside of the water's surface. It rocked terribly. "Is it supposed to be doing this?"

"It's fine." I yawned again.

"How long's this gonna take?" Daxter screamed.

"Fifteen minutes, about." I pulled some brand name Kaffeine out of my subspace compartment and took a swig. It kicked in immediately. "Ahh. Much better."

"You're shaking, doc."

I looked at my hands. They were, indeed, shaking. So much so that the Kaffeine splashed around my knees. I tried to screw the top back on, but the threads couldn't interlock unless they were held steady. Finally Jak took it from me.

"Thank you," I said reluctantly.

"You're welcome," he handed it back and I put it away.

"There's repercussions for everything," I said, holding up my hands. My thin fingers twitched, confusing the suit.

"So I see."

"Pull down that string, there," I pointed awkwardly at the wall with my thumb, unable to curl my fingers together.

The Glakkickh complied. "Neat."

"This is a map of the Southeast Quadrant; that's our part of the world."

Daxter groaned. "I hate geography!"

"You obviously do not know anything about your surroundings," I said. "If Ashelin plans to reopen Haven, she's going to need more than brutes and guns."

"Reopen Haven?" Jak looked at the old paper map thoughtfully.

"Let me explain."

Daxter shrieked. "I refuse to participate!" He curled up into a huffy ball and snored loudly.

"You can refuse to participate quietly," I hissed.

Jak looked down and nudged the ottsel with his foot.

"Fine." Daxter turned over and didn't speak again.

"The island in the middle is Haven. All of the large land masses are named after the largest cities on them. Haven City takes up most of the island, as you should know."

Jak nodded. "I've been outside the walls a few times."

"Good. Now, Haven has a few tinier islands around it, and there are eco wells and such near its harbors." He nodded. "The large land mass south of Haven is the Waste Land Peninsula, where we just were." I pointed one shaking hand behind us. "Haven's Sector-Naming system calls the area I was in Sector 7G."

"Yeah." He searched the map of Haven, particularly looking at the penciled regions where I had written _Spider Caves_ and _Swamp?_.

"The land mass to the west of Haven is Perpetua. That's also the name of the biggest city." I smiled a little.

"That's where you're from, right?" Jak sat back and squinted at the map. "It's huge!"

"Yes. Haven is the smallest of the three Greater Land Masses in the Southeast Quadrant. It is also," I lowered my eyes, "the poorest."

"Really?" The Glakkickh folded his arms.

"Yes. Perpetua and Sickle," my fingers shook at the third land mass on the map, "have closed all trading businesses with Haven. It is illegal for either land mass to import or export any good to or from that location. Those laws were put into effect decades ago, when it became apparent that the Barons of Haven weren't complying with the Southeast Quadrant Humane Terms."

"Humane Terms?"

I looked at him cooly. "You didn't think Praxis' treatment of his citizens was smiled upon, did you? Perpetua has the second highest standard of living in the world. It horrified us, as a population, to hear what was happening in Haven. I remember seeing vids of people being shot in the streets, and the Krimzon Guard is known the world over for its ignorance and cruelty." I shook my head at him. "Does Ashelin know of the Humane Terms? Is anyone in the Haven Council aware of the outside world?"

He looked around the cabin. "I don't know," he said quietly.

"And I've become the ambassador," I muttered. "Well, anyway, I was granted special permission to work in Haven and use its resources. You must understand, Glakkickh, that Haven was indeed once beautiful, but its current situation is atrocious."

"It is." Jak's eyes dimmed. I imagined he was probably thinking of the Baron's dark experiments.

"Social commentary can continue later," I said. "Sickle is that island there."

"It looks like the crescent moon," he said.

"So it does. How poetic of you, Glakkickh." He smiled a bit. "Sickle has some utterly fascinating environments. There are lakes and seas there of liquid metal, not water. The adaptations of those marine creatures are incredible, and it is widely believed that Metal Heads originated there. That is where I did my graduate work in Biometallics."

"People live there?"

"Yes, some of the physically strongest people in the world." I turned in the uncomfortable wooden seat. My hands shook less. "There are some ways to differentiate citizens from each land mass."

Daxter snored loudly, only this time it wasn't fake. Jak nudged him.

"The people of Haven come from both Sickle and Perpetua, so their features are usually a blend of the two. Sickle citizens have a range of dark skin tones and massive muscle systems."

"Sig!"

"What?"

Jak picked a piece of flint off his sleeve. "I think I know someone from there."

"Is he a gunman?"

"Yes."

"Not surprised. Sickle society is militant and organized. Perpetua citizens are much slimmer," I held out my arm. "We're shorter and paler. If you had to summarize each land mass in one word, Sickle would be 'military' and Perpetua 'art.'"

"And Haven?"

I thought. "Poor."

Jak frowned. "You shouldn't measure Haven by just money! People I care about live there. I live there."

"Yes."

The cabin was silent for a minute.

"Why is it important to know how people look different, anyway?"

"So that you can understand why certain people react to situations the way they do. There is more in your ancestral descent than you think there is."

Jak looked away. "Funny you should mention that."

I sensed he would only make vague comments if I inquired. "Broad nose," I said, lightly touching his face. He shot back in his seat as if I had burned him. I sat forward. "Cut jaw and angled cheeks." I frowned. "Probably fuller before the experimentation," he nodded, looking away. "Yes. Torture drains a young face of softness. Large eyes and wide frame. You have a classic Eastern-Perpetua form, with a hint of Sickle. Of course, this makes you one hundred percent Haven, because of the unique-" I squinted. "You know, you have just a glimmer of Mar in your zygomatic arches."

"Thanks."

"A lot of Haven citizens are Western-Perpetua descendants. They have longer faces and are prone to obesity."

Jak snickered.

"Your mother was Perpetua descended," I said softly, "and your father... he was probably a mix of a lot of things."

"All this with just a face."

"Three doctorates- I better be able to interpret your bone structure."

He looked at me. "I think Ashelin could really use you in Haven."

The boat slowed. The thought of working in Haven again displeased me. "Know what, Glakkickh?" I shifted, wondering if I was going to regret my next words. "I might stay a little longer than I originally planned to. You have a hideous lack of knowledge of the world. I'd hate to think what your government would do in the event it reopened Haven to trade, not knowing what the consequences would be."

Jak snorted. "Are all Perpetuates as flattering as you?"

"No. Most are worse."


	11. Welcome to Haven

**The site isn't letting me use asterisks anymore to separate the author notes from the story, so my A/N's will be in bold from now on. First, thanks to the following linklies:  
Phoenix Flower- Jak's ancestry is a fun topic. Maybe the Haven peeps should try the Atkins diet- sure it kills your liver, but you look great! Haha. Thanks for the review!  
Kokono- Haha, don't think too hard. wink Thanks for reviewing!  
Miss Mandy- Whee! Thanks for your many long and inspirational reviews! Where in the game are the Metal Heads named? Hmm...  
ElementalGoddess- long nosed shrew-like mammal thingy isn't too far off from the secret magical origins of Thrinaxia's name... haha. Discovery Channel rocks! Thanks for the review!  
Zylia- Thanks for your IM reviews! (those count, durn it). I can't wait to see your many ficlets-epic fic.**

**Now, on to the (painfully) obvious: I didn't die! In fact, I'm finally done with school. I plan on writing a lot this summer between working (almost) full time and fighting my sisters to the death for control of the computer.**

**After this story is done I'm gonna post a chapter called Secrets of Thrinaxia, explaining the origins of her name and some other cool stuff. Also, I was thinking about making this the first in an arc- a Rebuilding Arc. As in, rebuilding Haven. But I don't want my fics to screw with whatever the third game has in store for us... I'll have to think about it, hehe. **

"We're going under the harbor walls now, through a safety current," I said. The boat tilted down and the pressure in the cabin increased. I opened and shut my jaw, trying to alleviate the clicking in my ears. The lights dimmed significantly as the boat conserved power. After a few minutes it shot up again.

It bobbed gently on the surface of the water. I stood, heading for the door and wincing as my knees cracked. Jak picked up the sleeping ottsel. I took a deep breath. "The emergency vehicle should have alerted the Palace to send a small group of guards to meet me here. Did Praxis disable the primary alien emergency warnings?"

He stared at me.

"I presume that's a no."

The Glakkickh squinted. "Alien?"

"I'm not from your Land Mass," I said as I turned. "I can only assume the emergency warnings are still operable. When the door opens, it will form a small walkway we'll take to the dock." He nodded and I hit the door panel with a fist.

The door slid open, revealing smoggy night sky. Two things immediately hit me. The first was the smell- Haven's disgusting stench of social rot and supreme monarchial arrogance. The second was a tight cluster of menacing black circles, outlined by the city lights.

I raised my hands and forced my shield not to activate. The gun barrels swooped back. As I stepped onto the walkway, a team of Krimzon Guards eyed me suspiciously.

"Who are you?" An unmasked, heavily tattooed guard asked, his voice gravely. He rubbed his nose on the back of his hand.

Before I could answer, the Glakkickh said, "Torn?"

"Jak?" The guard tried to look around me. I stepped onto the pier, hands still raised. The guards shuffled back to give more room, the laser sights of their guns still centered on my chest.

"Chill," said Jak, appearing at the door.

The guard lowered his gun, looked at Daxter, and scoffed. "What happened to the rat?"

"Allergies," the Glakkickh shrugged. I put my hands down slowly and he joined me on the dock.

"Who's this?" asked Torn. He waved for the guards to lower their weapons.

"I am Dr. Thrinaxia," I said. I looked down at the dock water, swirling with pollution and dying luminescent phytoplankton. "Haven hasn't changed, I see."

"I'm Torn, Commander of the Krimzon Guard," he said. "We're changing the city now that Praxis is gone. What was your connection to him?"

I frowned. His voice was of the itchingly soft variety. "I obtained special permission to study in Sector 7G using Haven's resources."

He looked at me sideways. "Where are you from?"

"Perpetua."

"Psht." He shifted his feet and faced the Glakkickh. "What happened to the mission? Why didn't you report back?"

"My comm busted, and so did the transporter. Me and Dax met up with Thrinaxia. We used the ship to get back." He motioned backwards.

"Did you destroy the eggs?"

Jak glanced at me. "Uhh-"

"He certainly did not!" I folded my arms.

Torn stepped back a little, surprised. "Why not?" he hissed.

"I study Metal Heads," I said, looking right up into his eyes. "And you have absolutely no business disrupting the social patterns of my subjects in a protected area!"

Torn squinted at me, his frown deepening. "Study Metal Heads?"

"Yes."

He snorted a little. "That's what Praxis had you there for?"

"Yes! For the safe return of your scouts, I was promised an opportunity to speak to Ashelin about the continuation of my program."

Torn shook his head, almost smiling. "Ashelin." He pulled out his comm and walked away from us, muttering.

Jak looked from him to me and shrugged. Daxter opened one eye lazily.

"We're home!" He jumped up and perched on the Glakkickh's shoulder. He took a deep breath. "Ahh!" His sigh of relief dissolved into a coughing fit. "Ahem," he cleared his throat. "Yep. Good ol' stench a' home."

Jak grinned.

"So what'd I miss?" Daxter pushed his ears back and studied his nails.

"Torn's welcoming committee." Jak pointed to the guards. They stood silently, surveying the area.

I tilted my head. The stars were mostly obscured by black clouds of unnatural origin. I took out a flask of water and sipped carefully, trying not to inhale the air.

Torn stomped back over, barking to the guards. "Ashelin said to get you to the Palace. She'll speak to you in the morning, _if_ she has time." He ignored my glare. "Everyone hurry up. We've got a cruiser ready."

I followed the Glakkickh, not allowing any of the guards to walk behind me. I didn't trust them for a second. My suit buzzed in reaction to my irritation and I set it to a minimal level. We sat in the back of a cargo cruiser, holding on to the riveted walls for balance.

"I need a medic," screamed Daxter over the sound of the cruiser's engines. He pointed to his bare skin and patches of fur.

"I think it's an improvement," said Torn.

Daxter stuck his tongue out at the guard. "You're just jealous cuz you know even though I'm half ragged, I'll still get more ladies than you!"

Torn rolled his eyes and looked away. "You disgust me," he said.

"It's one of my many talents." The ottsel bowed.

The cruiser landed hard and we exited. Torn nodded towards the back. We took a utility elevator to the top. I stood near the Glakkickh the whole time. I wasn't afraid, but wary.

"Remove any weapons, subspace compartments, communicators, higher dimensional storage facilities, knives, boots with heels over two centistandards in length, keys, nail clippers, coins, bolt cutters, tools, including metal and plastic wrenches, watches, prosthetics or false teeth," droned a guard.

Torn put his gun and knife into a plastic bin and walked through a detector arch. The light embedded in its apex remained green. He picked his knife up again and slung it over his shoulder.

The Glakkickh pulled four guns out of his subspace compartment, unclipped his backpack, and put them into the bin. He and Daxter strolled through.

"Getting tight with security?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. I unclipped my Spartle gun and subspace compartments.

"You don't overthrow a government without a little dissent," growled Torn.

I stepped through the detector arch. The green light flashed red and ear-splitting alarms went off.


	12. Metal Head in the Palace

**Mmmkay, thanks to doomofevil (do you watch Invader Zim?) and anoymous sic, for their reviews! I figure for every person that reviews maybe two read it but didn't review... so that's good.  
Enjoy this next chapter, in which we see more of Torn's infamous hospitality. It has a line in it that I think's really funny, but that's just me, the incredible, inedible authoress. Slag, I'm such a silly thing. All right, so the alarms have just exploded into explody noise...**

I winced.

"What the hell is that?" Torn slammed his hands over his ears.

"Metal Head!" A guard motioned to the others and they took defensive positions around the exits.

"Those are the Metal Head alarms?!" screamed Daxter. He climbed onto Jak's shoulder. The Glakkickh snatched a gun from the bin. "Get em, buddy."

"Where is it?" Torn gritted his teeth. He waved to a guard, who ran over to a wall computer.

I cleared my throat. "What does the detector-"

"Shut up," hissed Torn. I frowned at him.

A faint voice came through the piercing alarms. "This is Ashelin. Torn?" He snatched his crackling comm. "Torn?"

"Yeah?" He walked backwards to get his gun, scanning the ceiling.

"What the hell's going on? We're reading a Metal Head in that room."

"In the _room_?" Torn's eyes widened. He spun around. "There's nothing here, Ashelin."

"The detectors don't lie," she said.

I tapped my foot impatiently. "Does the detector recognize Metal Heads becau-"

"It's within a metrastandard of you."

"Ashelin, there's nothing here!" screamed Torn.

The guard at the wall console turned. "No Metal Heads in the city, sir." The others looked around uneasily.

The alarms pounded in my ears. I rubbed my forehead, attempting to intercept the oncoming strobe light induced headache. I picked my gun out of the bin and set it to _Spartle_. Holding it with both hands, I aimed it at the detector arch.

Jak saw me. "Thrinaxia! Don't-"

BANG!

Torn whipped around and stared. Electricity sizzled up and down the scorched arch. The deafening alarms ceased, leaving a stunned silence.

Broken, seconds later, by Torn. "What the _hell_-"

"If you would just let me finish," I said icily. I spun the gun to off and clipped it to my pants.

Torn scowled. "Call you back." He flipped the comm shut. "You have two seconds to explain yourself."

"The cranial scintillation powering my suit set off a false alarm."

All the guards leveled their guns; for the second time that night I felt the heat of ten lasers between my eyes.

"Don't," said the Glakkickh. "Don't shoot her." Daxter looked back and forth between Torn and I.

"Cranial scintillation?" Torn's eyes were cold. "Remove it. Now."

"I can't." I unzipped the sleeve of my shirt. "It's embedded." I pointed to the clear casing in my shoulder.

Torn pushed the gun into my face. I glared. "You another one of those monsters in disguise?" he said softly.

His finger curled around the trigger. My suit immediately activated, but I didn't think it could deflect a blast point-blank. I shut my eyes and threw my hands up as he fired.

"Doc!"

My hands knocked the gun aside, sending the blast to the right. Someone screamed. A guard was down, moaning and clawing at his steaming chest plate. Before I could react, a blur moved in and shoved itself between Torn and I.

Jak. I lowered the shield as he spoke. "She's _not_ a Metal Head."

"Remember Kor? He wasn't one, either," sneered Torn.

The Glakkickh shoved Torn back. "Don't touch her." They fought a silent battle of grinding teeth and stares. Daxter leaned away from the two and grinned at me uneasily. Finally, Jak stepped aside and Torn glared from him to me.

He pulled his comm out. "False alarm. Everything's under control. Send a medic and a general electrician." He smashed the comm shut and narrowed his eyes. "I don't like you," he said, pointing with his gun.

"You don't stimulate my platonic centers, either," I snapped.

"Jak." He didn't take his eyes off me. "Take this... _woman_ to the guest wing, room 8. Ashelin will certainly want to begin talking in the morning. Wait, don't leave yet." He scowled at me. "I have to disable all the detector arches between here and there." He turned and muttered to the guards behind him. They saluted and hurried off.

We waited in silence, as even the ottsel hadn't thought of something to say. The electrician came, took one look at the arch, and whistled. "What kind of shot was this?"

"Spartle," I said.

He nodded slowly. "Right-o. I think I can have this running again by morning." He set his metal toolbox down and rummaged through it.

I noted that the medic still hadn't come. The injured guard was in shock. I didn't say anything, though I guessed he had bad burns and would suffer some permanent nerve damage.

"Set sir," Torn's comm crackled.

The commander glanced at Jak. "Go."

Jak looked at me. I set my mouth in a firm line and followed him out. 

**Dum dee dum! And that's all for now. I have to think about this story some more before I can continue writing... please review! I will be happy and squealy and recommend you to all my friends! Haha.**


	13. Sicklian Underworld

**Special thanks to the following linklies:  
Snowy Fox, doomofevil, Lovepuff!, anoymous, Jade Rowwood, Mandy Mandy!, aaannnd Phoenix Flower! (Yeah, that line about the platonic centers was it! haha)  
I wrote part of this between 2:03 am and 2:43 am a few nights ago. (Yes, those times are exact haha) Insomnia is a terrible thing.  
Kay, enjoy the next chapter of wonderbabble and Sicklian environment-speak!**

I followed the Glakkickh with a determined silence. The palace interior was as sickeningly decadent as I remembered. The long hallways were lined with invisible detector arches, which flicked on as soon as I passed through them. _They're cutting off my roaming space_, I thought. With the arches constantly on, they could control where I was allowed to go. I grit my teeth.

"This is room 8," Jak stopped outside the tall door. He hesitated, then pushed it open. I brushed past him and immediately located the window. The room was surprisingly large. I stalked past the huge bed and pushed the drapes aside. "It's probably locked," he said softly.

I groaned, trying to push the window up. It didn't budge. I inspected the frame; it had been nailed shut. "Hmmph." I turned and sighed. "Will you open this? I need to be able to contact my laboratory."

He looked at me doubtfully. I folded my arms. "All right," he said. He shut the door behind him and joined me by the window. "If an alarm goes off, what am I supposed to say?"

"I'll explain."

He sighed and gripped the window. "Jeez," he muttered. He shut his eyes and strained up. The veins in his forehead stood out and I sensed a rush of dark eco. The wood groaned and the nails snapped. The window screeched as he pulled it up. We waited for a tense second, but no alarms went off. He looked at me and inched the pane through the slats, wincing at the sound each time it shuddered. "That good enough?"

I kneeled on the plush window seat. "Yes. Thank you." I dug into my subspace compartment and pulled out my long distance communicator. I hoped it still worked; it had been ages since I'd used it last. Sticking it out the window, I began typing commands into its tiny keyboard. "That is all I require," I said, not looking back.

He did not take the hint to leave. He watched as I checked the stats and day's results in the lab. "What's that one about?"

"Beta function," I said, typing furiously. "These numbers are much higher than I had anticipated..."

"What's beta function?"

I groaned inwardly and tried not to be annoyed by his simple curiosity. "It's the internal mechanism used by Metal Heads to stabilize ingested materials so that they can be implemented in the body. One of the more interesting components of the mechanism is how the cranial scintillation works in parallel with it. I'm attempting to determine how much the mechanism relies on- four seventy seven?!" I frowned at the screen. "That optical activity measurement is way too high. I think I've made a procedural mistake..." I growled and swore in Metal Head.

"Thrinaxia," Jak said, pulling a chair up next to the window seat. "I have a question. It's been bothering me for a long time."

_Stupid racemic accelerator. It must have separated the S and R mixture incorrectly. I need the data for those crystals! This is going to take ages to fix!_ "Glakkickh," I said between my teeth. "Could I possibly entertain your questions another night?" _At least it's not a procedural error._

He fidgeted in his seat. "I think you're the only person who can answer it."

_Frame Worker, execute experiment 5738A again with double consequence checking on racemic accelerator. Begin with cross check in Pilot Guide and calculate percent return and optical activity on S crystal. Ensure purity._ I squinted at the screen. "Argh. I haven't even checked on my Old Atena environment yet."

Jak sighed.

_Old Atena environment stable._ "At least something's gone right."_ Sandover environment stable. North Point Lighthouse environment stable. Brisant, Midlands, Chromic Beach, and South Point stable. Sicklian Underworld unstable._ "Drisch!" I selected the index for the Sicklian Underworld. "Want to see something interesting?"

Pause. "Sure."

I pulled up some pictures. "I took these images many years ago when I was working in the Sicklian Underworld. It's a system of extremely unusual hollows under the Midlands in Sickle. The caves, if you will, were carved by hot lead dripping for millennia. The life there," I sat forward, "is fascinating."

With the Glakkickh distracted, I feverishly pounded the keyboard. _My Sicklian trees are oxidizing, the bloom is dead, there's a metal blight on the halogen leaves... this poor environment. What the hell happened to it?_ I checked the airborne ion stats. They were normal.

"Wow." Jak's eyes were round. "Wow."

I glanced up. "Yes. That's my favorite picture."

The tiny round hollow was illuminated by huge biometallicphosphor trees. They grew from a rusty mass of chainlinked roots, stretching their aluminum and chrome branches overhead. The neon leaves pulsed with light, and dwarf purple flitters jumped between them, nibbling the alloy fungus. A tiny waterfall of lead poured from a hole in one of the trees, bathing a pod of white seaweed kitties below. The seaweed kitties were dancing around a glowing yellow-bellied splitter, trying to hypnotize it with their rainbow whiskers. A metal blacklight spider was weaving its spiky silver web above them. Off to the side, a spectacular Burst bloom was opening, sending out showers of molten rock and flaming carbon composites.

As I watched the dazzling colors, my stress faded. I took a deep breath. _Frame Worker, Greensuit retiring for night. Continual back feed to memory storage. Execute Normalcy. Greensuit out._ I cut the entire communication short and folded up the keyboard.

"What's that?" The Glakkickh pointed to the screen.

"A Burst bloom. They open every ten years or so, ejecting massive amounts of genetic material and melted sediments simultaneously." I turned the screen off and shoved it into the subspace compartment. The bed behind the Glakkickh was starting to look inviting. "If you'll excuse me," I started.

"What about my question?"

I rubbed my eyes. "Yes?"

"How come when Dax fell into the dark eco, he changed into an animal, but when I touch it, I change into...?" He looked at me.

_How do you expect me to answer a question that isn't complete?_ "You change into what?"

"Something... dark."

I rolled my eyes. "I need a little more detail than that. Can you show me?"

"I don't think it would be a good idea." He looked around the room.

I waited for him to elaborate. He didn't. I stood. "I can't help you unless you tell me more," I said. "Please leave, so I can get some rest."

"No, no." He held up his hands. "Sit." I frowned and sat. "I change. My body does, and my mind does. It happens if I have enough eco and I get mad. Or if I want to change. The Oracle was helping me control it."

_The Oracle._ I groaned at the thought. "You experience a shape shifting of some kind?"

"Yeah."

I sat back in the window seat. "Daxter was very lucky," I said. "He has a very rare homozygous recessive trait on his TATA box." The Glakkickh blinked. I sighed. "It's the result of a genetic mutation that occurred hundreds of generations ago along his bloodline. By pure coincidence, both his parents were heterozygous and managed to produce an rr offspring."

"What does that mean, exactly?"

"It means instead of dying instantly, or being slowly poisoned, his body reacted to the massive amount of dark eco by reverting into something smaller, more primitive. Ottsels have, what we call, an extremely high E factor. They can withstand a lot of eco abuse on rare occasions." I folded my hands over my knee. "The mechanism of the physical change isn't completely understood. Ottsels are so rare I don't think anyone has even attempted to obtain a degree in their study."

"Not even _you're_ interested?" Jak grinned.

I shrugged. "I find Metal Heads infinitely more interesting than the occasional mammalian blunder."

"So," he thought for a second. "Do I have some different weird mutation?"

"Glakkickh," I said. "What you have cannot be explained by science. Genetics and pseudomorphication do not apply to you." He sat back. "It's not that you can't study eco by using scientific methods, you most certainly can. In fact, if I had more time, I would begin a structured process for determining its many biological uses. But," I waved one hand, "as society and custom have dictated for many years now, eco study is restricted to a select few."

"The Sages?"

"Yes, among others. I did wish, when I was younger, that I would live to see the day when an 'ordinary' person could study eco. But I know now there is too much bureaucracy and petty honor in the way."

"So, you can't explain it?"

I looked at him. "I didn't say _that._" I unzipped my sleeve and touched the cranial scintillation in my shoulder. "How many people believe I am mad for doing this? Torn thinks I have become a Metal Head myself, and am thus the enemy. But it is when people think you are crazy- that is when you begin to accomplish things."

He snorted. "Good, cuz I think a lot of people are questioning my sanity right now."

"To answer your original inquiry," I said, poking at the suit near the cranial scintillation, "I'll have to ask one of my own. I assume, back in Sandover, before the hideous experimentations, that you were already familiar with eco?"

He thought. "Yeah. I used every kind there is- except dark. And Precursor things seemed to," his eyes became distant and he held up his hands, "come alive when I touched them."

"Mmm hmm," I nodded slowly. "You had, and still do, a very special gift."

He rolled his eyes. "A _gift?_"

"Yes," I said firmly. "I've told you, there is no scientific literature on this subject, so you'll forgive me for using layman's terms. You have a special power. It is nameless. It is rare. You probably know more about it than the wisest sages do. It is in my _humble_ professional opinion," I stood, "that when you endured the dark eco treatments, the gift inside of you was somewhat altered. Perhaps part of it was even destroyed." He looked down at the floor. "Your body adapted by taking a new form when forced to, a form which reflects the effects of the dark eco on your inner psyche."

"My inner psyche?"

"Dark eco does many things, Glakkickh," I said. "One of them would definitely be damage to your ability to perceive, understand, and express emotions and thoughts. Glakkickh," I looked straight into his blue, blue eyes, "if you think you've changed, you have. Down to the very last tiny cell and spark."

**That was fun. Poor Jak. She didn't really give him a very good answer, did she? Ah well. Reviewy! :D**


	14. Ashelin

**Special thanks to the following linklets:  
SnowyFox, Miss Mandy, hellmouth2, doomofevil and Lovepuff!  
This chapter is very exciting. OH yes. Yes it is. You will not be able to control your dopamine blockers, the excitement is so great.**

Rose petal tea.

I held the thin cup in both hands. Fine vapor rose off the liquid's honey surface. The delicate aroma spoke of multiple nitrate treatments in Haven's soil.

The illusion of civility was shattered by the two huge Guards behind the Governess.

"So," Ashelin said, crossing one leg over the other and sitting up straight. I recognized the higher social class posture and didn't attempt to emulate it. She took a sip of her tea and drummed her fingertips on the marble tabletop. "Torn mentioned you in passing, but I'm afraid he left out some details." Her eyes flickered over my shoulder, where the cranial scintillation was hidden.

I pulled out my Citizenship papers. "My name is Dr. Thrinaxia. I studied at the University of High Falls in Perpetua." I slid the papers over to her. She picked them up and frowned at the seal. "I obtained special permission from our governments to work in Sector 7G, as is allowed by the Freedom of Knowledge Clause of the Humane Terms."

"Sector 7G?" Ashelin flipped through the papers.

"The Waste Land Peninsula south of here is an extension of Haven. I had to get clearance to work there." I set the tea aside, untouched. "My utmost concern is with my work, of course. But it has come to my attention that Haven has recently undergone a regime change. Perhaps you should contact the representatives of the other Greater Land Masses. Forming alliances at this vulnerable time would be most beneficial. I know Perpetua is eager to lift the Trade Embargo."

Her eyes flashed. "You have no absolutely no right to tell me what I should do."

"It is in the best interest of Haven," I said. _Not that you seem to give an ottsel's ass about it._ "However, I do not mean to overstep any bounds. I am honored that you have taken time out to meet with me." _My, what filthy lies I am telling this morning._ "I hope that you will consider the importance and implication of my work."

Ashelin glanced at me sideways. "What is the nature of your work, doctor?"

I traced the gilded edge of the tea cup with one fingertip. "I work primarily with the indigenous species of Sector 7G. Mostly I am involved in the study of eco-dependent animals and plants."

"Metal Heads." The Governess folded her arms.

"Yes, Metal Heads are an extremely important aspect of my work. I also maintain dozens of micro-environments. Over the past few decades, I have discovered hundreds of incredible-"

"Save it. I assume you've logged your applicable discoveries somewhere?"

I clicked my teeth together. "Yes." As I opened my subspace compartment, I heard the sound of compression chambers closing. I looked up. The Guards had leveled their guns at me, one above each of Ashelin's shoulders. "I can give you a disk," I said, raising my eyebrows. "I assure you, Torn has already _graciously_ gone through the entirety of my subspace compartment and found nothing dangerous." _I told the Glakkickh to keep a good eye on my Spartle gun. If anything happens to it, I'm going to call Old Atena and scream hostage abuse._

Ashelin flicked her wrist. "Proceed." The Guards lowered their massive weapons and I snatched the disk.

"This is a copy of all my work. It has been organized for a quick read through. Examine it at your leisure." I tossed it over the table to her.

She pocketed it quickly. "Thrinaxia," she said, "give me one good reason why I should allow this Metal Head colony to live."

I had anticipated this. I rubbed my eyes. "There is no single good reason. There are many great reasons. My guess, as to the most important reason for Haven, is my work with _Mirabilis crassula._ This is a native Waste Land plant which has the ability to create eco."

Ashelin pinched her lips. Her eyes were cold; she had not anticipated my answer. "Why are so you interested in assisting Haven?" she asked finally.

_I'm not._ "My interests lie solely within my work. If Haven and the other Greater Land Masses happen to benefit from my labor, than I am happy to reciprocate for the betterment of our collective societies."

She frowned. "Perpetua currently knows none of the information which you have just given me?"

I bit the inside of my mouth. "I have shared a few of my discoveries with the general Scientific community."

"This would imply, doctor, that your research is done to benefit Perpetua at Haven's expense."

Anger flared in my chest. "Each of the Greater Land Masses has access to the Scientific Journals to which I forwarded my papers." I placed my hands on the table, palms up. "That includes the readership in Haven."

She glanced at my hands. "Ahh, the Perpetuan symbol of Honesty." Ashelin tapped one finger against her cheek. "How, exactly, were you paying Haven back for the support she gave you during your many years of study?"

"Praxis asked for information on Metal Heads."

"What kind of information?"

"Social patterns, body types, weaknesses. The list was long."

"And you gave this information to him freely?"

"Yes. It was part of the agreement."

"It seems to me," Ashelin said, rising. "That someone as dedicated to Metal Heads as you would never give vital information out. I know Perpetua's take on my father; he was not liked anywhere in this part of the Quadrant. How do I know," she bent and slammed her fists on the table, "that you _never_ withheld information that might have saved Haven's soldiers and citizens?"

I shot up in my chair. "How dare you accuse me of breaking an agreement!"

"The Metal Heads were highly organized. They attacked our city numerous times, and we have no records anywhere containing information regarding their weaknesses! Can you explain that?"

I gaped at her. "No!"

"Countless lives could have been spared from their assault! As far as I can see, you've been using Haven's resources, Haven's very limited eco, to further your despicable studies for the benefit of Perpetua's growing empire!"

I felt my temperature rise. "We have no empire! The period of colonization was centuries ago, and every colony has been restored to its formal-"

"Why did Praxis give you access to Sector 7G?"

"Might I add that the only colony left to be returned is Sector 7G itself?!"

"What have you withheld from us?"

"Nothing!" I spat. "I sent information to Praxis on a monthly basis, using a secure water thread! He replied to me religiously until just recently, when the city fell to the rebels!"

Ashelin snarled. "Your research assist, as given to you by Praxis, has been officially terminated. You are not to set foot on Haven's Sector 7G again. All Metal Heads found on our rightful property will be destroyed." My jaw dropped. "After the Qua'kaddian Institute has reviewed your work for possible value to Haven, it will dismantle your lab. It is only because of Jak's insistence that I am not stripping you of your Citizenship papers." She tossed them over. "You are under his temporary supervision until sufficient means can be found to return you to Perpetua."

My fingers shook as I picked up my papers. "But- but-"

"Jak is waiting. You are not to leave the Palace without an escort. Do not attempt to communicate with your laboratory again."

I glared. "You can't do this!"

"Guards?" Ashelin nodded. The two brutes started towards me, holding their guns up.

I tried to restrain my anger. My suit twitched against my skin as I boiled inside. I swore at the three of them loudly in Metal Head, until the Guards grabbed my elbows and pushed me to the door. "Ashelin!" I tried to see around the massive shoulder plates. "Perpetua will not stand for this!"

The door slid open and the Guards tossed me out. I shut my eyes and raised my shield. It helped a little with the impact, but my knees stung. I pounded the floor with one fist in defeat. _"Vackt drisch natz inckt drisch natz!!"_

After a few seconds I forced myself up. I sat against the wall, ripping my fingers through my hair and trying not to grind my teeth flat. For the first time in many years, the thought of using my lacrimal glands entered my mind.

"Woah, doc." I glanced up. Daxter frowned at me. "You look like someone just died!"

Jak offered his hand. I ignored it and heaved myself off the floor. "That's essentially what happened," I snapped. I shoved my Citizenship papers into my subspace compartment.

"I take it things didn't go well?"

I glared at Jak. "No. They did not go well. Where is my gun?"

"Yeesh," said Daxter.

Jak wordlessly handed it to me. I clipped it to my hip, resisting the urge to blast the door apart and fry Ashelin. I clenched my fists again and again.

"Know what?"

I faced Jak, not giving a seaweed kittie's whisker for whatever he was about to say. "What, Glakkickh?"

"You look like you could use some time at the shooting range."


	15. Bekanntes

**Special thanks to the following linklies:  
hellmouth2, Aave (twice hehe), doomofevil, and my Lovepuff.  
Umm... yeah. I think I've thought of an ending to this story, which would lead into another story, which would be more of an adventure story. Things have been really busy recently but they should calm down and I'll actually get to write in the next few weeks. Yay!**

"Her ignorance-"

BLAM!

"-is astounding."

BLAM!

"I've had enough of this-"

BLAM!

_"vackting _backwards land mass!"

BLAM!

I lowered my face shield. I had missed three of the targets.

"Uh... nice try, doc." Daxter held up one thumb-like digit.

"The recoil is too great for me to control," I said, handing the Glakkickh back his gun. "You could probably get somebody to add a recoil damper."

"Naw. I like it like that." Jak patted his gun and fired off several shots. He hit each target perfectly.

I winced and put my hand to my forehead. "I was never formally trained," I muttered, trying to get my mind off the one thing Jak could do better than me. Ashelin's infuriating ignorance made it hard to dismiss the Glakkickh's proud grin. I took a deep breath and made fists.

"Uh oh. She looks mad again." Daxter said.

"Gimmie the Peace Maker."

"Don't do it, Jak!" Daxter screamed, grabbing his friend's ears.

Jak grinned and handed it to me.

"Do you have any targets that look like Ashelin?"

He laughed. "No. But there are two female civilian targets."

I held the gun carefully. I'd never fired a Peace Maker before. "Any special instructions?"

"Nope. Just pull the trigger."

"Any modifications I should know about?"

"No."

"How's the recoil?"

"Not bad."

"Is it a general sweeping motion or a standard one shot?"

"Just fire the friggin gun!" Daxter shouted.

I lifted the heavy weapon and pulled the trigger. Blue power arched out, enveloping every target in a fantastic blast. I stepped back, the face shield raising automatically.

"Don't worry, Thrinaxia," said Jak. "The shots evaporate the targets, so there's no debris."

"How quaint." My arms ached with the weight of the gun. I never said Perpetuates were the strongest of people. I gave it back to him and rubbed my shoulder. I sighed. "I appreciate your attempts to divert my concerns."

"Um. You're welcome?"

"But there is so much to worry about." I sat down and leaned against the wall. Targets shot up and whirred across the floor. Jak smashed them with the gun. I watched for a few more minutes, trying desperately to think.

"How could she do this?" I asked finally. My mind was numb with shock and disbelief. "I cannot comprehend her reasons for dismissing my assist without even _glancing_ at the things I have to offer."

"Didja tell her about the plants that make eco?" asked Daxter. He wiggled his digits. "Ashelin should've climbed all over that. It's like growing money from the ground!"

"I mentioned _crassula._ I gave her a copy of my work. I can only hope she'll take five _vackting_ minutes to look it over. What she would see would probably blow her cognitive centers." I grinned at the thought.

"Ya know, doc," said Daxter, hopping off his usual high perch and walking over. "You're going about this all wrong. You're making more enemies than friends!"

"Ashelin isn't the usual enemy; she's too stupid."

Jak snickered.

"I'm being serious, Glakkickh. The most dangerous enemy is an ignorant one. The action she has taken today will have consequences I do not dare to dream of."

"Like what? What's the worse that could happen?" Jak sat down across from me. I folded up my legs. He shook his head. "I understand you're mad now, but I'm sure we can do something. I'll talk to her."

"I do not think that will work." I sighed and chewed the inside of my mouth. "This is just stunning. I can't believe she would dismiss me. I have so much to offer this filthy place, and she shut me down! Haven needs friends, Glakkickh. I don't have any particular affections for her, and I realize this!"

He shifted uncomfortably. "What was Ashelin's biggest problem with you?"

"She accused me of not completing an agreement! That is extremely insulting."

"What agreement?"

"It's a government based compact, but I suppose there's no problem in sharing the contractual agreement with you," I muttered. "In return for an unquestioned, unlimited supply of Haven's various resources, I gave Praxis information on Metal Heads."

"Sounds like we got the dirty end of the walking stick," said Daxter, "no offense."

I nodded. "I thought it was tilted a bit in my favor, and I scanned the contract for any suspicious loopholes. There were none, and none of the other land masses were interested in sponsoring my work." I cradled my face in my hands. "A great deal of my time could now be considered wasted and useless." I looked up. "That is a very disgusting thing, Glakkickh. It's an insult almost as damaging as being labeled a contract breaker." I took a deep breath. "Atena forgive me."

"So Ashelin blew off your life's work." Daxter waved his paws through the air. "So she's shipping you back to wherever you came from. So she's dismantling your lab."

I shut my eyes. "Is there an argumentative point in there somewhere?"

"Yeah. When all else fails, you can always go to the Naughty Ottsel for a good time!" He grinned triumphantly.

I shuddered. Knowing this ottsel, anything naughty' sounded like something I definitely didn't want to get involved in. "What is _that?"_

"Only the coolest, hippest, highest Waste Lander recommended, most alcohol fountain spewing-est shack in the city!"

"No thank you," I said crisply. I folded my arms.

"Aww... c'mon, doc. You'd love it! There's Metal Head heads everywhere-" my eyes bugged out, "-eh, um. Never mind." He blinked and held up one digit. "It's very clean, I assure you."

I didn't respond with anything but a dirty look.

"Sheesh. If this is how you treat your friends, I'd hate to see what you're gonna do to Ashelin." Daxter backed away and stood next to Jak.

I scoffed. He was half right, incredibly. I glanced at the two of them; they stared at me with pity-filled eyes. "I don't consider you friends." Jak's face fell. "It's a matter of social definition."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Daxter folded his arms and glared.

"In Haven, the word 'friend' is applied much more liberally. I consider you my allies." They looked increasingly unhappy. I frowned. "Allies in a positive sense."

"That's it? Just allies?" The Glakkickh scoffed.

"Of course. You are acquaintances. You are my _bekanntes._" I sighed. "In Perpetua, things are different."

"And when do we get to be your friends, oh mighty doctor with three doctorates?" Daxter rolled his eyes. "After we save your life again? Or are we too stupid for you? Huh? That's it, isn't it?" He pouted and turned to Jak. "She called me stupid."

"No, I didn't!"

"Yes, you did."

I resisted the very powerful urge to shake the ottsel. "I never called you stupid. In my land mass, the word 'friend' is only used with very, very good friends. We have only just met."

Daxter sniffed. "I'd say you have something against animals, but I think I know better."

"See," I said. "You're not stupid." I stood. "I will not argue with you about this subject further. My entire life's work has been terminated." I took a deep breath and looked at the Glakkickh. "Would it be too much to request alternate quarters for my remaining time in Haven?"

"No," he said. "Of course not."

"Yeah, if I were you, I'd prolly want to kill Ashelin while she was sleeping, too." Daxter made a point to nod at my hand. I looked down. I had been patting my spartle gun without knowing it.

I couldn't resist a slight smile. "Where might I find lodging?"

"I know a little place-" started Daxter.

"That does not include the word 'Naughty' in its name."

"Uh- oh, I know!"

"Or 'The Doxy Pit.'" I had seen that particular overnight facility from the palace window.

"Damn." Daxter hopped up onto Jak's shoulder. "What class did you take? Killing Fun 101?"

"Yes," I said. "Though its proper name was Gross Anatomy; The Foregut Fermenting Phyla."

"Yeah, uh huh." Daxter nodded. "I know exactly what you mean. Once I stepped on a slug _this_ big," he held out his arms, "and it exploded into black goo, and not only did the goo get stuck between my toes and in my fur, but I was eating pudding and-"

"And it will live on in our memories and go unspoken," interrupted Jak.

"Heh."

"Slugs don't have foregut fermentation," I started.

"I bet you could stay with Keira," Jak said quickly. "I'm sure she has an extra room at her apartment."

"Who's Keira?" I frowned. The name sounded familiar.

"A friend," Jak gestured to the door. "I'll have to clear it with Ashelin, but I bet she won't, ah, mind."


	16. The Naughty Ottsel

**Thankies to the following linklets: hellmouth2, Aave (I'll help you escape!) aaaaaand dOMITUPSYK.  
This chapter will send my total words archived over 100,000! So exciting. :D  
I haven't updated this in forever. This chapter prolly needs a little more work but it's bugging me to get it up. Good news is, I was going to have this end pretty soon, but I thought up more stuff to write. Well, good news if you like the story haha. Enjoy!**

The computer muttered something about course records as we exited. "I'll see where Keira is," said the Glakkickh, reaching for his comm. He flicked it open and punched in a series of numbers.

"Prolly at the racing garage," said Daxter. He stretched and eyed a passing zoomer. "Hey buddy! Get your emissions checked! You're spewing everywhere!" The man made an obscene hand gesture, and I was immediately reminded that I was in Haven. "Yeah, well, same to you!"

Jak eyed us and shut the comm. "She's at the Ottsel."

"Well, well," said Daxter smugly. "Looks like we'll have to go there now, doesn't it, doc?"

I frowned.

"This way," said Jak. We headed right and walked along the Port. To my absolute disgust, raw sewage ran into the water from factories. It poured in red and turned green; the indigenous bacteriae had been decimated years ago. He saw my look of horror and shook his head, but said nothing else.

The Naughty Ottsel, complete with the gaudiest, largest motion-timed mascot decor I had ever seen, was closer than I had thought. "Welcome!" Daxter just about danced around my legs. "This is the grooviest, hippest place in all of Haven, doc! And you're here on a special night. Anything you want's on the house." He flashed me a toothy grin and ran ahead of us.

I found out later that he had run ahead to put a sheet over something called the Metal Head Smash Game.

As it was midday, few people were inside, sitting and talking. The most interesting was a decorated Sicklian, drowning a huge mug and talking to a female with blue hair. A cheery bar maid chatted loudly with Daxter about special imports and delivery prices. Metal Head skulls, stripped and polished, adorned the walls. Jak saw my fingers curl into fists. "You gotta understand," he said softly, pushing me towards the bar. "There's no one on this island who's going to get your point of view."

I grit my teeth and nodded.

"Hey everyone, this is Thrinaxia," the Glakkickh waved one hand. The bar maid, the female, the Sicklian, and even Daxter stopped talking. "Thrinaxia, this is Tess," the blonde woman grinned sweetly, "Keira," I nodded to the female, whose eyelid structure intrigued me, "and Sig."

"Mayn sprak vi di sco su," I said to the Waste Lander.

Sig's good eye widened. He raised his mug. "Vi di sco sa!" He laughed. "By the Underworld! I haven't heard that greeting in ages!" He stood and gripped my upper arm.

I grinned and took his. Once he had felt my strength he let go. "My Guide years ago was a fine man. I learned much from him."

"Really?" He tipped his mug and drank. I recognized the smell immediately. Sicklian Squid Ale.

"That's a fantastic eye," I said, pointing to his face. "Is it a Red Glass?"

"All the way, baby," he smiled again and moved down a bar stool. "I like to see in style. Why don't you take a seat?" I sat between Keira and Sig. He faced Jak. "I like this one, chili pepper. Where'd you find her?"

Jak smiled, probably relieved that I was able to make one friendly acquaintance. "Down on the Waste Land Peninsula."

Sig's eyebrows rose. "What you doin' there, cherry?"

My smile toned down a notch. I glanced up and saw the most magnificent Metal Head skull I'd ever seen in my life. My heart dropped into my stomach. If I had been able to converse with that specimen... "Studying," I said carefully.

"Yeah! She works on eco plants and stuff," said Daxter, wiggling his digits. "I gotta get me a slice of that farm! She's gonna be rich someday, living on some tropical island somewhere with man servants and everything."

Jak snorted and covered his mouth with his hand, trying to keep from laughing.

"Sounds like a blast," said Sig, and I was very glad he didn't question me further on that subject. "So who led you round the world, Klássha?"

I was pleased, recognizing the southern Sicklian formal address immediately; Klássha, an older woman deserving respect. "An exiled Taetra." I watched Sig's face carefully. His eye flashed a bit, but he managed to conceal his feelings. "He goes by Lurax."

Sig grunted. "Haven't heard of him, but I sure don't hang round any Taetra. Not even an exiled one. No ma'am." He banged his empty mug on the bar. "More ale, wench!" He laughed jovially and winked.

Tess rolled her eyes and picked up his mug. "Can I get anything for you?" She smiled and wiped the counter with a rag.

I sighed. Have you got anything from Perpetua?"

Her eyebrows cinched together. "Um. I'm not sure..." she turned and rummaged under the bar. I figured she didn't even know where Perpetua was. "Can you name a regional spirit from there?"

So I was right. "Anything Old Atena. Perhaps a High Falls specialty?"

"Umm..." In the mirror behind the bar, I could see her frantically searching the shelves. She bit her lower lip.

"While you're down there, grab that purple junk I like," said Daxter.

"Okay."

To my utter surprise, she stood a bottle of Old Atena Syrup on the bar. I snatched it right away. Perpetuan cursive curled around the edge of the label. I twisted the cap off and smelled it. Distinct visions of home flooded my mind, images I hadn't thought of in decades. "By Atena," I breathed.

"So you like it, too!" Daxter motioned for glasses. "Fill er up, doc!"

"You don't drink this from the bottle," I scolded. "It's far too expensive and concentrated. How did you get this past the Embargo?"

Daxter shrugged. "The guy who owned this place before me didn't exactly do things legit."

I shook my head. "Just a few drops, plus some carbonated chocolate water. And you absolutely must have cilantro."

Daxter stared at me. "What's that?"

I suppressed a groan, and in the end, settled for a slice of lemon. The sweet drink hit my throat and sizzled. Daxter tried a sip and gagged. "It's an acquired taste." I sighed. For a few seconds, thoughts of returning to Perpetua appealed to me.

I brushed them away as Keira asked, "so you're the one with the Sweetie fruits?" Her voice was scratchy. I wondered if she'd suffered laryngeal shock as a baby. I studied her facial features.

"Yes. I isolated a few of the trees and successfully grew them to fruition."

"That's wonderful. Do you think I could buy some more from you?"

I wasn't paying attention as she spoke, instead remembering some of the Glakkickh's remarks. "Did you come through the time rift with them?" I pointed to Jak and Daxter.

She nodded. "And daddy, too." She glanced around. "His name is Samos."

"You exhibit what I believe were once common Havenian traits." I pointed to my own eyes to illustrate what I meant. "You have a rather primitive eyelid structure, but lovely iris coloring."

"Um... thanks."

"Don't mind her," said Daxter. "She'll point out every flaw and make you feel guilty about it. She's a biologist."

Keira laughed. "I'm a mechanic." She held out her hand. I shook it gently.

"Thrinaxia's having a slight problem with Ashelin," said Jak, scratching his forehead. I made a face. "Can she stay with you?"

"Sure!" Keira smiled. "I think I have a spare blanket or two. What did you say to Sig a few minutes ago?"

"Hmm?" I had to think back. "Oh. That's an old Sicklian greeting. Roughly it translates as," I frowned, trying to remember. Languages were never my specialty. _"My dagger wants to meet you_."

"Sounds like a threat," said Tess.

"Well, it is, chili pepper," laughed Sig. "And the reply is always, _wants to know you_. Doesn't translate exactly, but what does?"

"That's so interesting," said Keira. "I didn't know you spoke another language."

"Baby, I got layers," grinned Sig. "You don't think I'm just another one-dimensional hit man, do you?" Keira blushed slightly. "Now, you were saying about Sickle?"

"Ah yes," I curled my fingers around my glass. "Lurax was my Guide through the Underworld and most of the Chromic Beach."

"Ever visit Brisant?"

"Of course. That's where I had to sign in."

Sig grinned. "Brisant's my pride city, born and raised a Lághada. Good old times we've had, huh?" He twisted his right hand, the universal sign for homesickness. He leaned back a little, careful not to lose his balance. "Sometimes I miss that Land Mass more than my old tribal irons." His huge shoulders shrugged and he sighed. "How'd you get here, hmm?"

"Perfectly legally." I summarized Praxis' invitation and my contract. "I haven't been off the peninsula in years."

"Mmm hmm." The Sicklian nodded. "Me?" He laughed. "I was smuggled over, like a boondocks rat in the keel. I heard about a man lookin' for some muscle, couldn't resist. Krew wasn't what I expected, but the perks were pretty good. Wasn't much work to find on Sickle when I left her." He toasted to his home Land Mass. "Brisant find her well. And Mar, and," he raised his eyebrows at me, "Lady Atena as well."

"Atena," I echoed, and we clinked glasses. Jak and the others stared at us. Ignorance is a terrible thing.

"So," Daxter said loudly, "it wasn't like they were leaving us in the dark about anything."

Sig rolled his eye. "Nothin' you should worry your fur off for, chili-" he squinted. "What happened to your fur?"

Daxter jumped up excitedly. "It all started in a clearing, break of dawn. The doc and Jak here were sleeping soundly. Two more steps and the biggest monster you've ever seen would've devoured Thrinaxia, but thanks to my catlike reflexes and stunning wit, I-"

"Allergic reaction to waxy juneberries," I interrupted.

"Well, thanks," huffed Daxter. "I was _going_ to say it had been ripped off while I defended Jak from the giant crawly thing you _Schwannsyl_ed. Try to keep a little dignity in this place, and you're shot down." He stomped over to Tess. "Massage me. It'll make the fur grow back faster."

To my astonishment, the young lady assented. I shook my head and finished my drink. "I'm being sent back as soon as transportation is arranged," I said. "Haven's going to have a terrible time of this, I think."

"What do you mean?" Keira frowned.

"At the firing range the Glakkickh asked me what the worst thing that could happen would be."

Keira looked confused. Jak took her hand. "That's what she calls me," he whispered.

I ignored the interruption. "Perpetua, that's where I'm from," I said, "prizes knowledge, science, and art above all else. Ashelin's abuse of my intellectual property will be seen as a direct blow at worst, and at best, an extremely derogatory insult."

"But what does that mean for Haven, exactly?"

"Intense questioning. The first thing our Research Chancellor will do is invite Ashelin to Old Atena and request a private conference. Well, that's what would normally happen. This would not be a good subject for Haven to begin new relations with the other Land Masses."

"Ashelin won't go."

"I know. So then Perpetua will come to her. One way or another, she'll pay reparations for what she has done."

"But," Keira frowned. "All she did was close your lab."

"You don't understand. Perpetua finds a lack as punishing as a crime. By putting a damper on my research, she will be setting us back technology-wise. This is a crime."

"A crime for something that didn't happen?"

"Glakkickh. Sometimes doing nothing is worse than doing the opposite of your ultimate goal."

"Preventing innovation is a crime?" asked Keira.

"Yes," I nodded. "Exactly." I took another sip of my drink.

"How... strange."

"Perhaps an example will help to explain." I cleared my throat. "Decades ago there was a famous court case, _The Society of Optipolymer Engineers v Sharlanzie_. Sharlanzie was an optic weaver, a highly specialized artist. She was especially gifted in her craft, and invented a material that could store and internally amplify light. She used it to make clothing and accessories. As with anything in the fashion business, the idea eventually went out of style, and she discontinued the clothing line. But she did not report other uses for the material, or register the procedure for making it. Years later it was rediscovered and great leaps were made in the field of optipolymer engineering. Sharlanzie was fined heavily for withholding precious knowledge from the world."

"So in the same way," Jak said slowly, "Ashelin's setting us back in dark eco study?"

"Yes." _Not 'us' so much as 'me,' but at least you grasp the concept_. "Though the fashion industry example makes light of the law, now you see that Perpetua takes discovery very seriously. What Ashelin has done..." I trailed off and shook my head.

"Why doesn't Perpetua fund your research, then?" asked Jak.

"I'm sure they will now," I said.

"Why didn't they before?"

I turned to Keira. "I am aware of how the world views my research subjects. Perpetua is no different from Haven in this matter. No one wanted to support me because they thought I was insane."

She sat back, clearly startled. "Well, um... surely..."

"I work with Metal Heads," I said quietly.

"Oh."

There was a short silence, punctuated by the ottsel's yammering and Tess' high pitched responses.

"Ex Taetras and Metal Head studies?" Sig tilted his head. His voice took on a sharper tone and he frowned. "I don't know about you."

"I have something back at the shop to check on," said Keira, rising from her seat. "Jak, why don't you make sure it's okay for Thrinaxia to stay with me, and I'll take her there."

"Uh. Okay."

I was silently grateful to the mechanic. I nodded goodbye to the others and joined Jak and Keira outside.

"You really shouldn't say things like that," said Keira. "A lot of people here will get the wrong idea. Especially Sig."

"Yes. I realize now... perhaps I was too quick to reveal the unorthodox side of my work."

Jak turned away from us and talked into his comm. Keira fished through her pockets for a ring of keys. "I don't have a two seater, but there should be room for you to sit behind me." She pointed to her zoomer, a thin pink and yellow creation. No safety harnesses. Good to know Haven was up on traffic safety codes.

"Ashelin's not thrilled. You can stay with Keira, but I'll have to catch up with you tonight and vid it over to her." I looked away as Jak kissed the mechanic. "See you later. Drive safe," he grinned, "there are lots of maniacs out there."

"We'll be fine." Keira picked an elaborate key from the ring and started the zoomer. "Hop on." I shut my eyes as we rose off the ground. My suit buzzed, sensing my nervousness. I gripped the sides of the zoomer. Keira's shoulder blades scraped across my cheek as she waved goodbye.

**That's all for now. The Lurax character will most probably be in some sort of sequal to this. Also was thinking of doing a short side story where Sig and Thrinaxia tell everyone some stories. Opinions? Eep!**


	17. Fascinating Creatures

**I didn't die! I swear! I still love this story, even though I'm really mad at ND right now and don't want to write any more Jak stories... sigh.   
Thankies go to the following, I hope none of you have forgotten about this story: Hellmouth2, hora-quan hybrid, dOMITUPSYK, the Amazing Miss MandyPandaa, Lovepuff, Skerries, Light-Eco-Sage, and Miss Yunie!   
Am experimenting with a new way to break chapter sections. Hopefully it will be allowed in the formatting. There be a secret guest in this chapter from another fic! Enjoy!**

Havenians are fascinating creatures.

Not as fascinating as Metal Heads, of course, but fascinating nevertheless.

"Watch where you're going! Freakin' women drivers!" The man in the zoomer next to us made a rude sign.

"Yeah! Well you can shove it where the Flut Fluts don't fly!"

Fascinating does not necessarily mean intelligent.

I wrapped my arms more tightly around the mechanic and felt my bones crack in tune to the zoomer's finicky engine. In an effort to keep my mind off the wretched vibrations tearing through my calf muscles, I watched the people below.

I tallied them in my mind by descent. Havenite, Havenite, Western Perpetuan, Mutt, possible Sicklian, Havenite... Masked Krimson Guards were sprinkled throughout the population, skewing my results. Keira slowed down whenever we passed one.

"What's that?" I shouted.

"Just a market. We're almost there." Keira banked left and we flew through a marble lined structure. "This leads to the Mar Memorial Stadium!"

"Hhhhych-" My clever reply was cut short as she switched zoomer zones, sending my stomach contents into my esophagus. I swallowed hard and unlatched my arthritically frozen arms. "Please... tell me before you do something like that again."

"Don't let go, we're not there yet." Keira turned back and smiled weakly. "Sorry. I thought you were used to zoomers."

"No. Not... zoomers of this quality."

She shot me a grin and eased the yellow machine up the stairs. "Hop down, I have to park this thing. Go straight through the security pillars and take a left at the shop, I'll meet you there."

_Oh, the young._ "I'm afraid my current bone density will not allow for hopping," I said. I sat back and groaned. My legs were weak from squeezing the body of the zoomer.

"Oh! Can I help you?" Keira jumped off and held out an arm.

"No, no," I waved it away and swung one leg over. "Just... step back."

With an unceremonial heave, I fell onto my knees. "Wonderful," I spat. My suit flickered. I stood and gripped the zoomer, breathing carefully. "The ride was... interesting. Thank you for offering your home to me." I stretched my arms. "Is there a place where I may do some work?"

"Of course! Just a minute while I put this away." She pointed me in the direction of her shop and got back on the zoomer.

The security columns at the entrance buzzed as I neared. Faint lasers shone between the two, just on the visible edge of ultraviolet. _Great. Another obstacle._ I glanced around. There were no fascinating Havenites in sight. I pulled out the spartle gun and looked at the settings. "Hmm... last time, _Spartle_ destroyed the detector arches, but not before they were able to go off." I spun the dial, looking for one of the faded labels. _When I first started working with Metal Heads, I had a basic Stun setting. It should still be on here. Where is it?_

There. The letters were so faded only the hourglass shape of the letter S was left. I clicked it into place and pushed the barrel against one of the security columns. With another quick look around, I raised my shield and pulled the trigger.

The gun sparked and shook. I winced. _It's been so long since I've used this setting, the primary operator sequences might've been corrupted-_

A white shock ran through the column. The metal rippled and the nails loosened. I stepped back, gripping the gun. The lasers shone brighter and split into arching forks of light.

"Vackt."

The column rippled again, made a whirring noise, and the lasers returned to their formal near-visibility. A small wisp of smoke rose from its side.

"What the heck-o was that?!"

I spun, preparing to make an excuse based on the pursuit of scientific knowledge, or shoot. Whichever proved necessary.

But to my surprise, neither did.

A young girl with black hair and wide eyes stared at me, open-mouthed. "You did a bad thing to that column," she said, twisting the edges of her ratty red dress nervously.

"Er..." I turned back and glanced at it. "No, it's fine. It is still fully operational."

"Oh." She seemed disappointed.

In the ensuing awkward silence I lowered my shield and tried to ignore her stare.

"What were you tryin' to do?"

"I need to go to the mechanic's shop," I said slowly. "But the suit you see me wearing will set the alarms off."

"Ohhhhhhhhhh." She nodded. "And then _they'll_ come."

"...yes."

"I don't like them," she said, lowering her eyes. "But there's an easier way to do it," she darted over to the undamaged column and squatted. "See this square? It comes off the side, here. Then you just stick your finger in and feel for the button," she did so, tongue peeking out from between her firmly set lips, "and the stupid posts don't go crazy for a few seconds."

I watched skeptically. The lasers flickered and died. The little girl smiled.

"See? I toldja. I'll do it again and then you go through, okay?"

I nodded. She repeated the process and I darted through the columns.

"You can do the same thing from the other side," she said, "when you wanna leave."

I searched my sub space compartment for a trinket, as it is custom in Perpetua to thank children with a small present, instead of words. Slummers screamed in the background.

"Dagmar."

"Dagmar?"

"DAGMAR!"

"Eep!"

And when I looked up to give her a scintillating Burst bloom petal, she was gone.

Fascinating creatures.

**TxT**

"Would you like something to drink?" Keira called.

"Yes, please. Water is fine." I picked up another modified wrench. It was heavier than I had anticipated. The width between its tines did not match any standards I could recall. "What is your primary focus?"

"Metal working," Keira said. She entered the room with a pitcher and two cups. "I also do circuitry and Precursor mechanics. That means zoomer operation, mostly."

"It is surprising to see such an educated female in Haven," I said. "I am delighted to hear of it." I hefted the wrench. "What metal is this?"

"An alloy I've been working on," she grinned. "Ice?"

"No." I took the cup she offered and looked around the shop. It was crammed with machines, tools, and experimental bits and pieces. A blasting furnace roared in one corner. Maps and old parchments hung on the walls. A row of racing trophies sparkled in their case. "I have particular interest in metals," I said. "One of my doctorates was in Biometallics."

"Really? How interesting." Keira pushed some steel shavings off a workbench and sat across from me. "Tell me about it!"

"Of course." I sat back and crossed one creaking leg over the other. "As you know, life is incredibly complex and beautiful."

"Yes," she nodded. "I get the lectures all the time. My daddy's a green eco sage."

"Is that so?" I peered at her. "How interesting. I would like to speak with him, if I get the opportunity. Ashelin wants me out of Haven as soon as possible."

"Hmm..."

"But anyway. We have only just begun to understand the great mysteries of life. There are several schools of thought, currently, on the most effective level of study. Some believe all life should be studied from an eco-oriented point of view."

"Ha ha! That's daddy!"

"Yes, I would assume so. That is the Life Eco Hypothesis. Others believe that life will reveal its secrets on a cellular, or smaller, level. In Perpetua, my native land mass, there is ongoing research on the subject of the Molecular Hypothesis. Amazing discoveries have been made. But I subscribe to a third school of thought. I think we will learn the most about our natural world and ourselves by studying the interactions between both the abiotic and biotic factors."

She gave me a quizzical look.

"This is the Hybrid Hypothesis; that the interaction of eco, among other abiotic factors, and the chemical reactions of our bodies, give power to that which we call Life."

"Wow! That sounds so... complicated."

"Yes, it certainly is. And it is also extremely controversial. Eco purists cry blasphemy and molecular biologists scream voodoo. It's all quite hilariously heretical." I smiled into my cup as I took another sip of water.

"So... where does biometallics fit in?"

"Mmm, glad you asked. I tend to get carried away when speaking of those that do not try to see my point of view. Biometallics is the study of the relationship between metal ions and enzymes. In a broader sense, it is the study of living metal. Once metal is able to organize itself in such a way that it can act as a catalyst for chemical reactions, it is an enzyme." Keira blinked rapidly. I couldn't blame her- in the time of Sandover, people hadn't even discovered cells. "Ah, enzymes and other small molecules power life. Basically, once you can organize ions into certain patterns, you can have organisms made of metal. They are _fascinating_, utterly fascinating. They have adaptations I only dream of. Because of their inherent nature, they require vastly different organ systems. One can utilize so much, once one has the proper knowledge."

"Oh."

"Metal Heads are the perfect blend of eco, metal, and molecular study. They offer so much to the world. People are blinded by fear."

"Well, they _do_ destroy cities."

I sighed. "Yes. But, think of all we could gain by observing them. The material my suit is made of came from a Metal Head source."

She still looked skeptical.

"Can you imagine a jet board able to change direction at the slightest nerve impulse? A wounded veteran given a new arm, one stronger and more powerful than his old limb, but just as sensitive? A zoomer able to calculate the width of a racing ring with the accuracy of its rider's eyes? All of these things are possible with Biometallics, and so much more."

Her face lit up. "I see!" She thought for a moment. "You've studied dark eco?"

"Ah, well, indirectly, yes-"

"Could you help Jak?"

Her sudden, panicked question caught me off guard. "I have already told him that I have extreme interest in his situation. I told him to let me know... when he would be comfortable as a study subject."

"You wouldn't... you wouldn't be making it worse by studying him, would you?"

I looked her in the eyes. "I do not know."

She bowed her head. "He was so different in Sandover. You'd never know it was him, the way he walks around now." Keira traced the floral pattern on her mug with one finger. "He used to smile all the time. He never touched guns. He'd chase the freakin' butterflies for Mar's sake. All that's gone now."

I sat, waiting for her to continue. The furnace hummed through our silence.

At last she looked up. "The dark eco makes him change now, into something terrible. He's half a monster. I've known him forever, and I'm scared..."

I replayed our conversation in my mind, the night he had seen the Sicklian Underground.

_How do you expect me to answer a question that isn't complete? "You change into what?"_

"_Something... dark."_

"He mentioned a shape shifting occurrence, but did not give me any details." I set my cup down. "Keira, any information you can give me will be of tremendous value. He was very... reserved about it."

"The slummers call him the Dark One. Daxter calls him Dark Jak, and that stuck. That's what _we_ call him. His friends, I mean. A lot of people are wary. When we walk into the markets, the slummers part. No one wants to be near him."

"Social avoidance is often a mark of fear. How does he change?"

Keira cradled her face. "He crouches down, because it hurts. You should see the agony in his face. His skin goes pale, his eyes turn black, and he gets these... claws," she held her hands up.

"_What?_"

"I said, 'he gets cla-'"

I shot up, staring behind her. _I've heard this before._ "Does he... sweet Atena... does his hair turn white?"

"Yeah." She looked up at me. "Why? Do you know what that means? Can you help him?"

"I... I don't know..." _Shape-shifting. I thought he reverted to a more primitive form, like the Schmekag. I never thought it would be this. This sounds just like-_ "Does he wield considerable powers? The ability to use dark eco in a destructive manner, like say, a bomb?"

Her eyes were as wide as mine now. "Yes!"

My mouth opened. Then it closed. "I... know what it might be, but I have no idea what it means."

**Bwahaha! You all hate me now! But don't worry! I'll have the next chapter up... sometime! Plllllllllease review!**


	18. Prophets and Poison

**Thanks to the following linklies: MandyPandaa, Krimzon 1, Light-Eco-Sage, Hellmouth2, YunieYuna, hora-quan hybrid, Loki and Co., FlutFlutLover, Lovepuff, Lenipez sideshow a million times, and windchaser90.  
****This is short, but you all were threatening me with threatening threats if I didn't update, so here ya go. Enjoy **

"What? What is it?" Keira jumped up now, too.

"Do you recall Sig saying he wouldn't go near a Taetra?"

"Yeah," Keira's forehead creased. "What does that have to do with Jak?"

"When I was in Sickle, my ex-Taetra guide told me a lot of legends" I started, glancing around the shop. "Do you have a piece of paper?"

"Yeah," she handed me a scrap. I pulled a pen from my pocket.

"This is the island of Sickle." I drew a crescent moon. "All along the edges of the island, except at the very north and south points, is something called the Chromic Beach. This is an area where rock and metal are inseparable. Parts of the Chromic Beach border a region of the ocean that is comprised of metal, not water."

"Interesting."

"It is hypothesized that Metal Heads evolved in those 'waters.' The Taetra are an ostracized group of people who believe that Metal Heads are earthly gods. They worship the Hora Quan and have intricate religious customs tied with dark eco."

"Okayyyyyy," Keira raised her eyebrows.

"Their prophet was said to have the exact symptoms your friend has."

"What do you mean?"

I closed my eyes, trying to remember the tales my guide had told me. _Curse their oral traditions. I never bothered to write all those stories down…_ "I have forgotten the man's name, but the Taetra prophet supposedly learned the secrets of all eco from the Metal Heads. He took dark eco to be the favored type, as it was the one necessary for Metal Head egg development. According to the stories, he mastered the ability to channel dark eco."

"I don't understand. What does that have to do with Jak?"

"The prophet transformed the same way your friend does, beast-like claws, white hair, black eyes… and he eventually went mad. He destroyed himself with what we now call Self-Perpetuating Dark Eco Poisoning. I believe the Glakkickh is on the same path. His symptoms must be reversed, or he will die. And it will not be a painless death."

Keira's face paled. "The Oracle said Jak would be enveloped by dark eco and its power."

"Yes, it managed to get that much right." _Blasted Oracle, muddling with the public's already fickle opinion on dark eco._ "It was the eyes that reminded me," I said. "The Taetra are excellent storytellers. Their myths of the black-eyed prophet are frightening- those images will never leave your mind. I think that, along with the claws… yes. The Glakkickh must have the same transmorphologies." I tapped one finger against my lips. "I do not know what that means, Keira. The religious implications are numerous. It is a good thing he has never met a Taetra."

She shifted uneasily. "Well, that is just a story, right? Are you sure he has that poisoning thing?"

"The experiment was done over a rather long duration, slowly increasing the Glakkickh's resistance and the level at which eco absorption causes death. He must have an extraordinary E Factor. That, plus his past eco experience, adds to the probability of being poisoned." I jotted notes on the scrap paper, "There is a way to determine if he does indeed have Self-Perpetuating Dark Eco Poisoning. In order to administer the test, and develop a possible cure, I would need access to the lab in which the experiment was done."

"That's in the KG Fortress. It's heavily guarded."

"Hmm…" _The KG Fortress itself. No one from another land mass has ever been inside._ "I don't suppose Ashelin would let me stroll in there to do some unauthorized testing." _So much for using more of "Haven's precious resources" for my own "despicable studies."_ "My inability to enter any sector undetected is also a problem."

"What do you mean?"

"I set off the Metal Head alarms." I pointed to my shoulder. "I use a cranial scintillation to power my suit."

"Oh. Can't you take it out?"

"No. The suit will, in essence, die." I drew chemical equations on the scrap. Nothing incredibly interesting, just something to do while I thought. _So the Glakkickh is the "second coming of the Taetra prophet." Ashelin has no idea what this could mean. The Glakkickh is an extremely important ally to the new regime, and after he's enveloped in madness, he will no longer be of any use. Perhaps, in return for an attempt to treat him, she will give me my lab back._

"Did you think of a plan?"

_Of course, it is quite probable that Ashelin would deny the importance of this realization of mine… If I go to her and explain what will happen to the Glakkickh, there is no reason for her to believe me. _I glanced at Keira._ And if I sent her, Ashelin still wouldn't believe it. Conjecture based on old myths?_

"What do you need?" Keira pleaded. "I'll do anything to help him. What do you need me to do?"

"I do not think there is anything we can do," I said. "Everyone has seen him when he changes, correct?"

"Well, yeah. It's hard to miss."

"And there is no denying the importance of such a change? It obviously reflects a problem within the body of your friend?"

"Of course!"

"Is that enough proof for Ashelin? The change itself is the only evidence of the possibility of Self-Perpetuating Dark Eco Poisoning. Unless, of course, I had access to my lab…"

Keira sat back. "Could you do the test in the fortress?"

I frowned. This wasn't where I was hoping to lead her. "Well, I suppose. But there's no way I could get in there-"

"Oh, there's always a way in," she said with a smile. "Trust me."

**Reviewy! Danke.**


	19. Complications

**Due to possible conflicts with the TOS, I shan't be thanking ya'll by name. But thank you to all who reviewed. And thanks to all who are actually going to come back to this story. Very much appreciated. **

**This was supposed to be the penultimate chapter, but it got awfully long before even getting to where I wanted it to end. Please enjoy! This fic should be finished… relatively soon.**

"I have a metal that might stop the detectors from picking up your skull gem." Keira pulled a thin sheet of shiny metal from a cabinet. "I made it as a backing for the chrome of my zoomers." She cut a circle and hammered the edges.

"Are you seriously suggesting we forcefully enter the KG fortress?" I pushed my tea cup aside.

"Break in, yeah." Keira bent the circle into a U shape under her knee. "Last week I noticed the detector arches kinda spazzed out when I carried this metal to the race track."

"I do not think 'spazzing out' is the desired reaction-"

"No, no, they spazzed, but they didn't go off."

"That doesn't make much sense. If the beam is disturbed in any way-"

"Hey, guess what? The KGs who put the detector grid together didn't do the best job in the world." I thought of the little girl who had outwitted the detector arch and nodded. Keira grinned as she held out the bent metal. "Try it on."

Reluctantly, I took the primitive shoulder armor. "Are you _sure_ this is the wisest course of action-"

"Yes," she said firmly. "Just fit it over your shoulder, yeah, like that."

I tried raising my left arm. "There is limited mobility."

"You won't need it on when you work," Keira said, "just when you run."

"When I run," I repeated. She nodded, still smiling. I sighed. "You realize, if I get caught, I will merely be deported. You will suffer for breaking into your city's stronghold."

"Ashelin wouldn't hurt me," she said. "How does it feel, other than being bulky?"

I shrugged my shoulder. "It will cut into my neck if I'm not careful. Otherwise I can manage."

"Great." Keira turned and grabbed her comm from a nearby shelf. "I'm going to make a few calls." Just as she started typing, Ashelin's face appeared. "Eek!" Keira jumped back, glancing at me.

"Keira." Haven's new dictator nodded. "We've secured an airship to transport Thrinaxia back to her land mass in two days. I told Jak we're expecting her ready at the Port early that morning. You will be compensated for housing her until then. Do not let her into the city unless Jak accompanies her. Do you understand?"

"Perfectly." Keira jotted the date down.

"Guards will be stationed outside your apartment at night."

"Oh, no," Keira laughed uneasily. "That won't be necessary-"

"It wasn't an offer." Ashelin said. "I don't like doing this to my friends, but until that woman's gone, I'll be watching you."

Keira forced a smile. "Not a problem! Bye bye." She punched the comm's off button. "That… complicates things."

TxT 

That evening the Glakkickh and his friend met us in Keira's kitchen. She pulled the curtains closed and proposed her plan.

"I don't know," said Daxter, pawing across the table. "We've broken in there _plenty_ of times, let me tell you, but now that Torn's in charge... I mean, he's a lot more careful and thorough than the nut job commander they had before him. And," he turned and stuck his furry face in mine, "he _already_ hates you."

"Noted," I said dryly.

"And now Ashelin's got her body guards outside the front door!"

Keira tensed up a bit. "Keep your voice down."

The Glakkickh paced the room. "We really could've used Vin," he muttered. I caught every couple of words. "What if," he looked up at us, glanced around the table, then turned back to muttering.

"I see he's particularly animated in this conspiratorial atmosphere."

"Mmmyeah, whatever." Daxter spun around. "So what's the plan, dollface?"

Keira grinned, holding up a fan of papers. "These are the most recent blueprints of the KG Fortress. Here's a copy for you, Thrinaxia, and Jak."

The Glakkickh strode over. He raised an eyebrow. "How did you get these?"

"I've got a friend who works in the Baron's official archives."

I smirked. _It's a good thing Haven citizens compromise city secrets for their friends._

"Jak already has clearance to the Fortress. So, though he shouldn't just stroll through the front door, he'll be able to get around without setting off any alarms." Keira pointed to a highlighted path on his papers. "If you take this side entrance, double back a few times, and chat friendly with any KG you see, you should be fine."

"All right!" Daxter snatched the paper away. "I love 'chatting' with those guys." He bent his digits as if holding a gun.

"No, Daxter," Keira rolled her eyes. "I really mean _chatting._ Jak has to look as unsuspicious as possible."

"Unsuspicious? _Him!_ Lady, you don't know Jak-" Daxter jumped up, grabbed the Glakkickh's face and squeezed his cheeks together until his lips puckered. "This is the epitome of suspicious!"

Keira giggled. Jak tried to glare, but the effect was ruined, as one of his eyes was forced shut by the shifted facial tissues.

"While the myth about making a funny face and having it stick is generally untrue," I said, "given the extent of his malar fat pads, you could possibly damage some nerves with his orbicularis muscle in that position."

"Dxxxtrr!" Jak tossed the ottsel back onto the table and rubbed his face.

"Ha! Jak has a fat face!" Daxter ducked as the Glakkickh swung at him.

"If someone asks, Jak will say he's doing a routine check of the building," continued Keira. "The path will take you to the general area where the dark eco testing was done." Jak nodded. "If anything goes wrong, you'll be able to stall the responding KG by taking them to the opposite side of the Fortress."

"Got it."

"Ooo! I love stalling!" Daxter stood up straight. "I'm the distraction master! 'Say, unnamed KG #437, is that a Vulcan upgrade in your utility belt or are you happy to see me?' That'll cause a stir! Huh? Huh?"

"Actually, Daxter, you'll be going with Thrinaxia."

"What!" The Schmekag and I both turned to the mechanic.

"Yeah. Daxter, you'll shadow Thrinaxia. You're small." Keira patted his head. Daxter crossed his arms. "If there's a problem with the arch detectors, you'll be her backup. Plus, who knows how long you got to wander around that place before you found Jak. You'll be able to help make sense of these blueprints."

"Only if he remains completely silent, unless it is necessary to communicate," I said.

"Yeah! Same to you! I don't want to hear anything weird about my anatomy." He wrapped his tail around his midriff. "No dissecting the ottsel."

"Agreed," I spread the papers out on the table. Jak set his next to mine. "We meet here, approximately?"

"Yeah," Keira pointed at a block of rooms. "I'm not sure where the equipment is, exactly." She traced one with a fingertip. "This is where it was, as of a few months ago. Third floor, eastern wing."

"We'll take a look around when we get there," said Jak. He rolled up the blueprints. "What about communication?"

"I've got direct comm with you," said Keira. "But I've been thinking… it'd probably be best not to contact Thrinaxia while she's making her way there. I'd even advise against a tracker. We want to draw as little attention to her as possible."

"And me!" Daxter said. "Everyone always forgets about me."

"Yes, especially you." Keira nodded. "You won't be able to contact them until you've met up with them, Jak."

"I don't like it," he said. "What if something goes wrong?"

"If something goes wrong, you'll know," said Keira. "And you'll lead the KGs away from where they're going to be." She turned to face the Schmekag and me. "If the alarms go off, get out of there. I'll be watching the perimeter."

Jak frowned. "I still don't like it."

Keira glanced at Daxter. "Tess will also be there."

"Sugarplum!"

"Yes. She's double checking something right now. She'll be back in a few minutes."

"You think going tonight is best?" I asked.

"Mmmhmm," Keira sat back in her chair. "You'll have all of tomorrow to analyze your data. Before you have to leave."

Jak leaned on the table. "What, exactly, will we be doing?"

"Testing you for Self-Perpetuating Dark Eco Poisoning," I said.

He narrowed his eyes. "_Testing?"_

"To ensure that, at least, what you are now will not destroy you." I placed my hands on the table, palms up. "Nothing will be done to change your eco resistance."

"I don't like tests," he said quietly. He turned away.

Keira looked from me to him. "C'mon," she said. "Thrinaxia might be able to help you. She's worked with dark eco… she's the closest to a dark eco sage we can get."

Daxter scowled. "Hmmph"

"I am _not_ a sage," I said. "But I am knowledgeable. You are at risk, Glakkickh." _Not to mention, I have a considerable personal interest in your condition._ "There will be no invasive procedures." _I think._

Jak sighed.

"You always do what's right for everyone else," said Keira. "Won't you let us try to help you?"

The uncomfortable silence that followed was broken by a sharp knock and a muffled "helloooo?"

Daxter, the Glakkickh, and I leaned to peer down the hallway. Keira ran to the front door. "Tess! Oh, for Mar's sake, let her in!" The guards stepped aside.

"Snookums!" The blonde woman waved to Daxter. Keira slammed the door shut.

"Cuddlebug!" The ottsel grinned. Tess set a bag on the table and swooped Daxter up into a hug.

I wrinkled my nose.

"What's wrong, doc? A little too public for you?" Daxter stuck his tongue out at me.

"Unwarranted, unamusing, distasteful," I said.

"How did it go?" asked Keira. She took a U-shaped piece of metal out of the bag and banged it on the table. A cranial scintillation popped out and bounced onto the floor.

I pointed at it and opened my mouth. Keira cut in.

"Went well, I assume?"

"Yep! No problems!" Tess patted the Schmekag. "Aren't you a fuzzy wuzzy foo-foo!"

"Guilty as charged," Daxter wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Here ya go," Keira lowered my outstretched arm and fitted the metal over my left shoulder. "Tess just sneaked into the Fortress with this. It kept the skull gem from setting off the alarms, so you should be fine."

"You had her sneak in…" I shook my head. "What if she had been caught?"

"Who, me?" Tess batted her eyelashes and stuck out her chest. "But I'm just a girl! I got lost in this biiiiiiiiig city."

Her saccharine pitch seared through my brain. "I see." I pushed the crude shoulder armor into a more comfortable position. "I'm not so sure that excuse will work for me." I ignored the Schmekag's snickering. "It is good that the government does not know how easy it is to break into its stronghold…"

Tess shrugged. "I took the side access that you're going to. I didn't go in very far, just enough to test the first few arches."

"You're sure those arches were functioning?" I eyed the armor.

"Yep. The beams went screwy, but the alarms didn't go off." Tess patted Daxter behind the ears. "Are you ready for another mission, Daxxy?"

"You bet, babe. Anything for you! I mean… Jak."

We turned to look at the Glakkickh. He shrugged. "Lets go."

"Way to be enthusiastic!" cheered Daxter. "C'mon buddy, the nice doctor lady's just gonna try to help." He punched Jak's shoulder. "At least it's a little bit of excitement, huh? We get to sneak around behind Torn's back. Not to mention Ashelin's! I've been meaning to do something after she passed that mandatory liquor tax…"

The Glakkickh forced a grin. "Sure. I'll go deal with the guards outside." He ran out of the kitchen.

"Uh… he means giving them an excuse for all of us suddenly leaving, right?" asked Daxter.

"Hopefully," I said. "It might be detrimental to start the mission with a couple of homicides."

TxT 

Despite my demands to the contrary, the Schmekag was comfortably smashed between Tess and me. I kept my eyes shut as the zoomer plowed through the filthy night sky. Daxter occasionally spoke, rustling the blueprints hidden away in my vest pockets. My knees creaked with the shuddering of the zoomer body.

Finally, we touched ground. I unlocked my elbows from Tess' waist and carefully got down. We all stretched and looked around. The Fortress stood in the gloom, a towering block of metal. The streets were quiet and the air dusty. Tess pointed to a small square cut into the side of the massive building.

"That's where you'll go in," she said, her voice low. "Touch the top rightmost button and the door will slide open. You'll have to crawl for a while, but there's a cutout in the floor you can go through. After that, rely on the maps as best as you can."

I nodded and straightened my vest.

"Once you're in, I'll start patrolling the eastern side with Keira. If the alarms go off, head for the closest exit to the outside. We'll find you. Jump if it's safe. If you're too high up… well…"

"We'll be fine," I said. Daxter gulped and looked at me.

"How do you know?"

"Statistical probability says we'll be caught. Ashelin won't execute us, though. I'll get deported and you'll stand trial."

"How is that 'fine'!"

"We won't be dead."

"Reassuring, ain't she?" The Schmekag nodded in my direction. "Bye Snugglepuss!"

"Goodbye, my brave warrior!" Tess gave him a last hug.

I turned to the building. "If we stack those garbage cans, we should be able to- Aaah!" Something heavy landed on my shoulder, grinding the metal into the casing over the cranial scintillation. I grimaced and stumbled to the left.

"Woah! Steady, doc!"

"Schmekag!" My arms flailed, and, due to the abrupt change in my center of gravity, I fell over. "What the _vackting natz_ are you doing!" I pounded the ground.

"Shh!" Tess ran to my side.

"What?" Daxter jumped off and glared at me. "That's where I go! Left shoulder!"

"_Not today!"_ I glared and ignored Tess' offered hand. "Mar's _chodiez_!" I rubbed my shoulder. The skin would bruise soon.

"Are they in?" Keira's voice whispered. Tess pulled her communicator out.

"Just a… mishap. They're going in now."

"Jak's already on the second floor. Tell them to hurry."

"Gotcha." Tess turned. "C'mon, you two! No more dawdling." Before I could protest, she yanked me off the ground. "Now, Daxxie, be good and help our friend. She's ol- er… um… Just be good, okay? Now, shoo!"

I grumbled. "Remember our agreement," I said. The Schmekag nodded. Tess waved and zoomed around the corner.

After the dust cleared, Daxter put his hands on his hips. "Okay, doc. Where do we start?"

"Traditionally," I said, quoting an oft-used Perpetuan saying, "one starts at the front door. Times have been less than traditional, though." I stacked some garbage cans below the opening. "Hop up there and open the door for me."

The Schmekag did so. "Phew! The air in here's drier than your sense of humor."

"Ha. My dopamine just went on strike." I pulled myself into the building and coughed. The air was dry. _And quite possibly full of pathogens. Superb._

"It's probably an air vent," said Daxter. His words echoed in the darkness. "Got a light?" he asked in a quieter voice.

"Possibly," I whispered. The suit pulled over my right hand. I diverted some of the temperature regulating power to the tiny wavelength generators embedded in its fibers. A faint green glow, akin to that of a living cranial scintillation, wound down my hand.

"Not bright enough," said the Schmekag.

"I can't go any brighter without overheating," I said.

"Hmm." The ottsel scratched his chin.

"If Tess could maneuver in here, we can, too. Start moving." I crawled forwards. Daxter walked ahead of me, slightly stooped.

We continued in silence for a minute or two. I groaned inwardly at my disagreeing knees.

"What is that noise?" Daxter stopped.

"Probably my joints," I groaned.

"Oh." The ottsel plodded on. Thankfully, within a few minutes we reached an opening in the vent floor. Daxter jumped down and estimated the drop. I carefully followed.

"Maintenance lights," he said, pointing around us. The hallway was dimly lit with long red lines. I pulled out the blueprints and squatted. My right knee protested loudly. The Schmekag grimaced.

"Keira marked the vent we just came from," I said quietly, pointing. "I think this is a staircase over here. We need to get to the third floor."

"We should go this way," Daxter pointed to some small hallways.

"That's not very direct."

"But we're less likely to run into the Mr. Fun-N-guns."

"True."

We walked down the hallway, keeping an eye out for KG. The Schmekag displayed various signs of nervousness. I tallied them in my head- the occasional quiet whistling, teeth chattering, and twitching tail. The last was the most irritating- occasionally it smacked the back of my calf, causing the suit to raise its shield automatically. "Be more still," I said.

"How am I supposed to keep still if I'm walking?" Daxter muttered. "I shouldn't even have to walk. Let me ride on your shoulder."

"No."

The Schmekag gave me a look. Then he stopped. "First detector arch," he said, pointing up.

"Indeed." It was a thin strip of metal implanted in the walls, flashing the faintest of blue lasers between ceiling and floor. I glanced at the shoulder armor.

Daxter peered up and down the hallway, then skittered through. He waved for me to follow. I edged forward. He crossed two digits and held his breath.

_Luck has no place here._ I stepped through.


	20. Recreation

**This chapter includes the 100th page of this story (in MS Word, at least). Woot! So… effing… long! .o**

**As always, thanks to those who reviewed. Lots of ties to the fic "Taetra Müssala" in here. CoughGoReadItPlzHehe. Penultimate chapter, folks! Enjoi!1!omg!**

The blue lasers fanned out, scanning my body for undesirable items. They scattered across my crude shoulder armor, throwing criss-crossed patterns on the walls. Red sensors flickered on throughout the hallway. Daxter sucked air in through his teeth and I froze, glancing back at the arch. There was a fizzling sound. The light at the apex flickered, but remained green.

The Schmekag blinked at me. He opened his mouth, but I indicated for him to be silent. The red scanners swept over the arch, filtering purple light in long lines behind us. We waited. Sweat ran in rivulets between my hair and the collar of the suit.

"Arch 349 clear," toned a computerized voice. Daxter jumped. Then leaned forward. He pointed down the hall, twisting his ears.

Very faint footsteps, accompanied by comm static. _"Run!_" Daxter turned and fled. I spared another glance back, then followed. The ottsel's padded feet were silent. I tried my best to keep from stomping on the metal floor. Daxter ducked into a side hallway. I followed, panting, and slicing through another two arches. The red and blue lights pulsed.

"You jumped a standard when you went through!" he said, leaning on the wall.

"I did no such thing." I straightened my vest, my heart pounding. "We must hurry."

"Give me the maps."

I handed them over. The Schmekag stared at them. The computerized voice announced that consecutive arches were clear.

The seconds ticked by. Daxter folded the blueprints, concentrating on a few wispy lines. The footsteps came closer.

Comm static sounded again. "Omega 19," a man said. I flattened myself against the wall. "Nothing in sight."

The person on the other end of the comm replied, voice obscured by static.

"Copy, sweep through and over," said Omega 19.

I caught a bit of the next transmission. _"…for routine… contact Torn to confirm."_

"Repeat?" The KG said. He was even closer now. I nudged Daxter with my foot and gave him a "hurry-up" glare. He bit his lower lip.

"_Copy. Jak has been… replied was here for routine checking… not on schedule… contact Torn to confirm Jak's clearance."_

_Uh oh._

"Copy." Omega 19 said. A serious of buttons was pushed.

Daxter pointed to the map and motioned out where the man was. I jerked a thumb in that direction. He nodded. I tried to explain what the KG had just said without words. The Schmekag puzzled over my frantic arm waving.

"Torn, this is Omega 19," the KG said. There was a pause. "Torn? Commander, come in."

_What to do? What to do? Torn won't confirm an inspection._

"_What?"_ Torn sounded annoyed.

I made an exasperated noise. The Schmekag raised one eyebrow. I grabbed my gun and jumped out into the hallway. "No!" Daxter whispered.

"This is Omega 19 reporting from the Fort-"

BLAM!

The guard coughed and pulled his helmet back. His face was a mixture of surprise and amusement. Insecticide curled through the air, twisting around his shoulders. He waved it away with a hand.

"_Drisch!"_ I spun the spartle gun's settings. _Stupid Whumpbee spray! _My fingers shook. _Damn arthritis! Not now!_

Daxter stuck his head out. "Don't kill her! She's old and confused!"

"Surrender!" The Guard tossed the comm aside and reached for his gun.

"RUN GRANDMA!"

"Shut _up_!" The shoulder armor made it hard to aim. I pulled the trigger again, hoping for a more destructive setting this time.

BLAM!

The KG fell back, remnants of the spartle shot sizzling through his armor. He convulsed on the floor, the tiny muscles of his face contracting. I sighed in relief. Then turned towards the Schmekag.

"_Old and confused?"_ I attempted to unlock my fingers from the trigger.

"Yeah! What're you doing, jumpin' a KG three times your size? And shootin' him with low grade bug spray, too!" Daxter stomped on the fried comm. "Watch where you're aiming that thing!"

I lowered my gun. "He was contacting Torn to confirm the Glakkichk's routine inspection!" My fingers finally relaxed and I shoved the spartle gun back into its place. "And the Whumpbee spray was… an error…"

"Dr. Thrinaxia makes errors? Wow!" I grit my teeth as he did a little dance. "You'rrrrrrrre not as perfect as you thiiiiiinnnnnnk you aaaaare!" The Schmekag bent and pulled a disk from the KG's belt. "Phew!" He fanned his nose. "For the sake of future recipes, do not cook KG in their own juices."

_Argh._ "Where do we go?" My hands shook. _Now Torn will definitely send backup to the building._ The red lights searching the hallway flickered.

"Relax, doc." He spun the disk. "Now we've got access to anywhere." Daxter looked up and down the hall. "That way!"

"But that's the way we came!"

"Lets count the mistakes made today: Thrinaxia? One. Daxter? Zeeeeero. Lower your blood pressure! I've got us covered." He shot me an infuriating grin. "There's a high-ranking KG-only access elevator on the other side. It's the fastest way up."

I turned, grinding my teeth. "Lead the way."

"I shall." He strode ahead, darting through the detector arches. I followed, running through the faint blue lasers as quickly as my knees would allow. At the end of the hall, Daxter inserted the access disk into the wall.

"Higher level access disk required. Please enter four digit code," the elevator droned.

"Uh…" Daxter stared at the keypad.

"Please enter four digit code."

"I believe the score is now one to one," I said, folding my arms.

"Who's counting?" The ottsel looked around frantically. "You know what? Why don't we take the stairs? You could definitely use the exercise."

Before I could retort, he darted into the adjacent hall.

"The map said there's one over here," he pointed.

"Schmekag," I said, taking deep breaths, "I'm not sure I can climb two flights of stairs."

He glanced back at me. "Sure you can! Pump them iron legs."

"It's not a matter of willpower," I said. "It's a matter of physical possibility!"

"Well," he stopped and activated a sliding door. "It's not like I can carry you."

"…are these what your generation calls stairs?"

Beyond was a carry-through hallway of some sort. Large blocks of metal floated across at a fast pace. KGs marched in formation on the floor far below them. The ceiling was covered in pipes of various sizes.

"Oooookay. Can you do a rolly jump?" Daxter asked. "Jak's real good at them."

"A what?"

"A distance jump." Daxter ran, did a somersault, and launched himself into the air. My neck twinged at the thought of it. "Ta daa!"

"I can do no such thing."

"Great. Where's Jak when you need him? Oh yeah, waiting for us." The ottsel made annoyed sounds, fidgeting with the disk in his hands.

"There is no way I can make a jump while those blocks are moving. I could _try_ if they weren't. Perhaps there is a stopping mechanism on the other side?"

"Aw man. Why do I have to do everything?" Daxter didn't bother to wait for an answer. He shoved the KG clearance disk into my hands, ran and jumped to the first block.

A few of the KG below looked up.

I pressed my lips together. The ottsel repeated the jump.

"Open fire!"

"Yahhhh!" Daxter jumped the next block, then made it to the other side. Red shots whizzed through the air, scorching the walls. "I don't see a way to stop them!"

"Stay there!" I said. "I'll be over in a minute!"

The Schmekag scrambled up a pipe and hid behind a panel.

_Think. Think think think!_ I set the suit to an invisible wavelength- though the cranial scintillation was now glowing yellow. It was more obvious in the metal room than it would have been in the jungles. _I'm definitely not adapted to this habitat. _ I edged along the side of the wall. The KGs continued to shoot in random directions. Daxter poked his head up once, goggled in my general direction, and crouched back down again.

My foot hit something. _Ammo box?_ I tucked the KG clearance disk into a pocket, picked up the box, sneaked over to the edge of the floor, and threw it as far to the left as I could.

The distraction worked. The KGs turned and fired simultaneously at the box, which then exploded. Screams and cries for back up ensued.

_Fantastic. Now what?_ The blocks sped by. I crept back to the door and resumed visibility.

"Time to search my inventory," I yanked my sub space compartment open and tore through it. "_Sprinklius_ liver, laser tapes, notes, _murmureus_ lymph juice, extra disks, vials of desiccated Metal Head egg mucus…"

_Powdered Metal Head egg mucus hardens on impact with certain liquids. Where's my water flask? Damn! Empty! _ I glanced at the lymph juice. _Hopefully this will work…_

I opened my gun, pulled out the EnNervate cartridge, and jammed the mucus vial in. Waiting until no KGs were looking in my direction, I went back to the edge of the floor. I placed the lymph juice beaker over the barrel, aimed straight up, and fired.

The powder exploded through the bottom of the beaker. It mixed with the lymph fluid and hardened into a thick rope of purple mucus, which hit a pipe and attached. Little bits rained down and stuck to the floor. I twisted the gun until it snapped off the end of the rope.

I yanked on it experimentally. It held.

_Note to self: remember alternative use for Metal Head mucus- structural polymer._

Across the way, Daxter appeared to be gagging.

The spartle gun nozzle was clogged. I picked at it. The mucus-lymph mixture was there for good. I shoved the useless gun into my subspace compartment.

_Note to self, addendum: Metal Head mucus/lymph mixture bad for projectile weapons._

I jumped and pulled myself up the rope. It was smooth, which made climbing difficult. My left shoulder ached, and my elbows cracked. The armor threatened to pop off: I hastened to the top.

Finally, I found myself hugging the filthy pipe. It shook from the flow of the pressurized fluid within. Trying not to look down, I inched across on my stomach. The metal blocks and an occasional gunshot screamed by below.

"Nice work, doc," said Daxter, as I climbed down the other side. He wrinkled his nose. I glanced at my vest. It was covered in specks of mucus and long trails of grime from the pipe. "What was that?"

"Metal Head mucus mixed with lymph juice at high velocity," I said. My arm muscles felt like they had been minced.

"Okay," Daxter pressed his digits against his forehead. "Here's a life skill for ya: the next time you go to say something, stop and think to yourself, 'is a normal person gonna wanna hear this?'"

"Define 'normal.'"

"Everything you're not." Daxter tapped his left shoulder. I glanced at mine. The armor had pulled up a bit, ripping my suit. Tiny green biothreads poked out, oozing a clear liquid.

I groaned and tucked them under the armor. _Vackting natz. This will take a while to repair. Haven't got time for a patch. _ "Lets continue."

"I got good news," the Schmekag said. "We're almost there." He pointed to a door. I followed him, feeling relieved.

The door slid open, revealing a set of stairs.

"Damn." I gripped the banister and pulled myself up. Twice, KGs came roaring down, screaming about back up and intruders. I flung myself over Daxter and activated the invisibility. Fortunately, the KG were too intent on bringing their own particular brand of destruction to another area to worry about a well-lit staircase.

"Gross!" Daxter said, wiping his stomach frantically. "How about we just shoot our way through, huh? Until you get a bath."

"My weapon no longer functions," I said.

"What? Crap… Guess we'll just have to rely on my good old martial arts technique. It's called _the Whisper of the Ottsel._" He crept up one stair. "Hello?" he whispered. "HIYA!" He kicked the air, where, I assumed, his intended enemy was.

I kept climbing.

"Hey now! That was perfectly witty…" He folded his arms. "Are you okay?"

An alarm sounded and all the lights began to strobe. "Intruder alert."

"I am perfect," I said. "And by that, I mean that I am not perfect."

"Wasn't me," said Daxter. "What did you do?"

_Broke into the Krimson Guard Fortress, killed someone, caused structural damage to a carry-through hallway, left incriminating biological evidence of Metal Head activity, and damaged my suit._ "Nothing of consequence," I said.

The Schmekag grinned and plodded on.

"Aaaaand here we are!" he jumped up the last stair and pirouetted to the door.

"Thank Atena," I said, creaking over to his side.

The door slid open. "What the hell took so long?" Jak pulled me into the room. Daxter jumped onto his shoulder.

"Well," said the ottsel, "first we had to navigate the building, then bug spray the KG who was calling Torn to confirm your activities to death, then get across one of those crazy zooming block places, then ascend a mighty staircase-"

"I'm glad you made it." Jak glanced at the door. "I fed Torn some lie about Samos sending me to check the fourth floor for something. Keira's screwing with the alarm system from the outside." He turned. "But that will only buy us so much time. I suggest we get started."

I nodded. "What do you recall from the experimentation?"

Jak's face hardened. "Some of it was done here, some in the next room."

"Which instruments were used to measure your… improvement?"

"These." He pointed ahead. A glass cubical, filled with computers and electronic equipment, stood behind an odd-looking bed. "Lie down there, the giant needles go in here," he pointed to his elbows, "and the people read off numbers from over there."

"I see." I strode over to the bed. It had a body-shaped cavity in it, which was lined with hundreds of holes. Above the bed hung a large, ominous metal ball with many wires and tubes. "I… am not familiar with this at all."

_How barbaric._

I tapped the consoles in the glass cubical, hoping a program would come up. One of the screens activated. "I can't access any of the previous files," I said. "They require high level clearance."

**You have selected the Experiment-Classified Files.**

**You need level Axe Morbid clearance to proceed. Please enter password.**

In frustration, I hit all the buttons.

"Ooh, looks like fun," said Daxter. He climbed up onto the console next to mine. "Hey, this button's under a cover. Did you try it?"

"No."

He pushed it, then pulled a few levers. "Override activated," a recorded voice said. Blue lights flashed. We looked up. The metal ball above the bed had separated into two halves, and the upper one was spinning.

"That looks nasty," said Daxter.

"Agreed. I think it's an eco stabilizer." I watched it spin for a minute. "It's threading electricity through dark eco to stabilize it."

"How do you know that?" The Schmekag asked.

"That's what a living Metal Head brain looks like."

"…eww."

"Diagnostics ready," droned the computer. "Subject has not been identified. Please enter subject number."

"Errmmmm… hey Jak," Daxter called. "What's your lucky number?"

The Glakkickh looked up, unamused. "It certainly wasn't 75."

"75! Got it." Daxter punched the numbers in.

"Subject not detected in holding chamber. Please immobilize subject."

Two wires reached down and hung carefully above the bed. Jak stepped back, glaring at them.

"What was next, during regular measurement procedures?"

"I don't want to do it," said Jak.

"Well, what was it? Perhaps we can find another way," I said. _I didn't break into here and rip my suit for nothing!_

"Come over here," he said. When I approached, he handed me two wrapped needles.

I grimaced. "Intravenous measurements." The needles were as long as my forearms. I placed them on the bed.

"Yeah, good times." He looked down, fists clenched. "In the beginning, they were used to pump eco in. Towards the end, they had to change their strategy. But they always used the needles to measure… how much damage they'd done."

He leaned forward slightly with his feet firmly planted, about shoulder-width apart. Definitely a defensive stance. _Continuing this line of questioning without invoking a fight-or-flight response is going to be tricky…_

"How were measurements taken?" I asked delicately.

"They blasted me with eco until I passed out."

I doubted that was the actual intent. _They probably used extreme methods to determine E Factor. I use more humane techniques on the tiniest species of eco insect! _I sighed. _If only I had access to my lab._ "I might be able to hook something up," I said, reaching for my sub space compartment. "We'll have to use some of the equipment here. My long distance communicator can act as a translator between the Fortress mainframe and my technology. I don't want to use that… thing." I pointed to the metal ball.

"Yeah. I don't want you to, either," Jak said.

"Finding your E Factor will be the quickest and most reliable way of determining if you have Self-Perpetuating Dark Eco Poisoning. You can, I have heard, display the major symptoms."

"What is it, exactly?"

"Ethical corruption. Madness deep enough to cut through not only the mind, but the body, too. A horrible way to die," I said. "There is a child's story told often in Perpetua. It's about a lost Old Haven dark eco sage and his maiden sister. Their skin faded to gray and their sanity soon followed. I shall spare you the details."

The Glakkickh had a thoughtful look on his face.

I took out my comm and brought it back to the consoles. "Find a compatible port for this connection," I handed a wire to Daxter. He saluted and scurried around the cubical. "Mainframe on. Greensuit access, new experiment. Skip date procedures. Emergency setups." _Unfortunately, we don't have time to strictly adhere to the Scientific Method._ I typed away. _If Ashelin took note of the frequency this comm works on, we'll be a beacon brighter than the day stars of mythology._

"All set, doc."

I nodded. "The system should bring up the E Factor and biocritical lines." Daxter and I watched the screens. After a few seconds, several jumped to life. "Ah, just as I thought. This is a biocritical line," I tapped one of the charts. "We can't let it go above ten. If it does, or if anything goes wrong," I said, "this is the abort button." I pointed to the giant red key. "Do you understand?"

"Yep. Dark boy goes kablooey, ottsel pushes button."

"Good." I pulled out my eco sensor, plugged one end into the communicator, and walked to the Glakkickh with the other. "Pull up your sleeve," I said. "It's like a suction cup. It'll stick to your skin. Hold still-"

"Uh, doc?"

I looked over. Daxter held up the sensor plug. "It came out. You're too far away."

"Damn." I frowned. "This plug can only connect to my comm." I glanced at Jak. "And I can't bring the comm any closer. If you get too close to the consoles, the eco activity will damage them. Hence the glass."

"Yeah, they were always hiding back there," Jak said quietly.

I shifted my weight. "We haven't got the time, or the _right_," I spat, "to return to my lab and get sensors with longer wires. The only other way is to do measurements remotely, using this machine." I pointed up.

Jak shut his eyes.

"I hate to recreate the pain of the experiments," I said. I held my hands out to him, palms up. "I… am sorry my equipment does not allow for a better way." I glanced at the door. "We could leave now, if you wish."

Jak laid a needle across my palms. "We've already come this far."

_Yes, we have. I'm glad you see that, too._ I pulled a pair of gloves from my pockets and, juggling the needles, snapped them on. "Remove any metal components," I said, nodding at the ring that was bound to his chest. He yanked the lower yakkow hide straps loose and pulled the ring over his head. Guns, his comm, a folded metal contraption I didn't recognize, and various pieces of body armor soon joined the pile. The Glakkickh took his wide-collared gloves off and rolled up his sleeves.

"I think that's everything," he said, rubbing his wrists.

"Not quite!" Daxter pointed to his forehead. "Forgot your eyeballs."

"Huh? Oh." Jak removed his goggles and set them gently on top of his guns. Unwinding the red cloth from his neck, he pressed his lips together and sat on the edge of the bed.

He held his arms out. His elbows were a mess; lumps and lines of white scar tissue with twisted, forking veins flowing around them. Random puncture wounds and dead cell agglutinations dotted the areas. _Permanent damage so severe the body cannot remove it. _I clucked my tongue and looked up at his face. He was staring at the wall.

"How very painful this must have been. I must admit, I have never seen tissue formations quite like these." I sighed. "They speak of an abuse I find hard to comprehend."

His eyes narrowed. "I don't need your pity."

"In Perpetua, a gesture of spoken empathy has great significance," I ran one fingertip down his right elbow, trying to find the largest scar.

"He's not one for sympathy, doc," said Daxter. "Don't even try."

"Very well." I located a circular hole, scarred at an angle pointing up his forearm. "Lie down." He complied, settling into the body-shaped cavity of the bed.

Jak stared up at the metal hemispheres. "I _never_ thought I would be here again."

I snapped the needles into the wires that hung down, as per Jak's instructions. After swabbing the skin with some homemade antiseptic, I set the metal tip against the hole in his elbow. The needle slid in easily, probably following a tube of old scar tissue that dug deep into his arm.

Jak sucked air in through his teeth. His eyes flashed. Daxter jumped up on the bed. "Woah, buddy. I recognize that face. You doing okay?" He patted his friend's shoulder.

"Yeah," Jak said, taking deeper breaths, "yeah." Blood trickled down and stained his shirt. Daxter stepped back, snatching his tail away from it.

"Tell me what the computers are displaying," I said to him, pointing back behind me. The Shmekag nodded and jogged away.

I walked around the bed and inserted the second needle. This one snagged halfway up, and I forced it with my thumbs. "These actions are bringing back unpleasant memories, I assume."

"Yeah. Real unpleasant." He grimaced.

"Your mind is stable?"

"I dunno." Jak pointed carefully. "There should be a button somewhere. Activates the vacuum."

_Vacuum? Why would they use a vacuum?_ I searched the side of the bed and found a bloodstained button. A faint _woosh_ came from the bed frame when I pushed it. The Glakkickh sunk down. "Oh. Why use a vacuum to hold you still?"

"Can't use metal restraints," he gasped.

"Can you breathe properly?" I frowned and touched his throat. The trachea had not collapsed.

"Yeah… just need to… get used to it again."

"Hey doc," Daxter called. "This thing says to stand back and get started."

I nodded and retreated behind the glass cubicle. "What's the system set to test?"

"I set it to E Factor. That's what you wanted, right?"

"Correct."

Daxter puffed out his chest. "Ladies, line up. I'm doctor material now."

I set the comm to record everything that happened. My hand hovered over the Go Command. I looked at Daxter. "To the pursuit of knowledge!"

"Yeah! Um… go Jak!" The Schmegak waved, though his friend couldn't see it.

I pressed down.

"Subject 75 detected and restrained. Clear area," the recorded voice said.

"Check," said Daxter.

"Initiate E Factor determination."

The upper hemisphere above the bed spun faster, electricity whipping about. I glanced at the biocritical line. It held steady at three. "If this goes above ten-" I started.

"Yeah, hit the button, I know." Daxter pointed. "Look…"

Dark eco streamed down into the lower hemisphere. It paused, flashed in the blue light, and continued through the needles. Jak had shut his eyes, his face was tense as he waited.

"Oh, man…" Daxter bit his nails.

Jak groaned. I leaned forward, pressing my hands against the glass wall. "Can you see what's happening?" I squinted. At this distance, the tiny lines of eco were rather blurry.

"Yeah, it's… it's going into him." Daxter said. "I broke him outta here, but never saw them do this."

"Keep an eye on that biocritical level," I said. _Hmm, E Factor reading is already at 37. This scale only goes to 50. I wonder if he ever required a more advanced processing system._

"Holdin' steady at six," said Daxter. "Is that bad?"

"No. Six is fine. Ten is bad. When the biocritical level hits ten exactly, you take the E Factor measurement."

The upper hemisphere spun faster now. The dark eco was flowing at a rate which was measurable and dictated by Jak's resistance.

"So," said Daxter, "you wait until he's screaming in pain, and THEN you take the reading?"

"Well, with this set-up, you do. I have much less invasive procedures in my lab."

The lab lights dimmed as the processor spun faster. I lowered the temperature regulator in my suit. Daxter fanned his face.

"Why's it getting hot?"

"It's expelling a massive amount of energy into the air. What's the biocritical level?"

"Six point two."

"Really…" _And E Factor is 45. I do not think we are going to be able to find the correct measurement…_

"How're you doing, buddy?" Daxter called.

Jak responded with a serious of throaty noises.

The E Factor screen flashed. "Hmm? 'Approaching max,'" I read.

"Oh, doc, the number thingy jumped to eight." Daxter chewed one nail.

My comm hummed, the screen repeatedly filling with innumerable lines of data. I tilted my head, aware of the smell of something burning.

"Oh, don't tell me," Daxter said, wrinkling his nose. "Holy Precursors, that's not his skin, is it? Cuz if it is, this button is totally pushed." He held a digit above it.

"I certainly hope it's not," I said. "It smells more like burned, er…" I searched my mind. _This is definitely a familiar smell… Where do I know it from? I think it was Metal Head 49836B. She had a blood infection and was being difficult in the lab…_

Jak screamed, hoarse and low. Daxter jumped. I froze, then heard something very odd, like glass chimes being bashed together. Jak howled in pain.

"Doc? The number thingy just jumped again!"

I glanced at the biocritical level. It hovered at nine point five. "Hold on, he's almost th-"

The Glakkickh took a breath and screamed again. Daxter winced.

"The E Factor is 49… by Atena, I think his blood is boiling-" I hurriedly tried to call up the lab's protocol. Smoke wafted over, smelling of vaporized eco and burnt blood.

"Warning, Central Processor not equipped to handle advanced subject."

"Ahh! What's that mean?" Daxter looked at all the flashing red screens.

"Warning, Central Processor not equipped to handle advanced subject."

"I think the Glakkickh outgrew this one," I said. "Abort!"

"Warning, Central Processor will begin override shut down in five, four, three-"

Before Daxter could smack the button, Jak leaped off the bed, tearing his clothing. _The eco axis characteristic of channelers._ I had little time to think about it. Sparking wires whipped around Jak's head. When he ripped them out of his elbows and threw them, the needles did not follow.

_Oh, Atena, they broke inside his arms. His ability to absorb dark eco is so strong it pulled the eco through the needles and they shattered. _"Get back down!" I punched every abort command that came up on the screens. The upper hemisphere screeched and slowed. "Hold still!" The lab lights flickered.

"This shouldn't be here anymore!" Jak clenched his fists and grimaced. Eco flashed around his body. Blood and glass shards littered the area. He kicked the bed; it slammed into the wall and left a dent. "I told Ashelin to get rid of this shit! I _told_ her!"

"Woah! Jak! Calm down!" Daxter abandoned the glass cubicle and ran to his side. "We don't wanna get angry…"

"Jak!" Daxter and I looked around in confusion. It took me a moment to recognize Keira's voice. "Get out of there! Now!" The comm blinked from underneath the pile of armor. "Jak, can you hear me?"

I hurriedly jammed my long distance comm into my subspace compartment and exited the glass cubicle. Jak was breathing heavily, looking up and down his bloody forearms. I edged over to his comm.

"Hey doc," said Daxter, grabbing my hand, "I wouldn't get closer to this light show." He pulled me back.

Jak grabbed two metal wires and ripped them from the ceiling. Dark eco wove around them and dove into his skin. Purple electricity erupted from the entry sites and crackled along his body. He crouched down to the floor, howling, his hands over his face. The axis on his stomach turned pale gray and spread. As his skin lightened, his muscles bulged up in waves, punctuated with throbbing veins. His body gave out ringlets of eco smoke, which sparked in the airborne electricity. Within seconds the transformation was complete and Jak sprang up, swiping the air with long, curling talons.

He glared at us with pure black eyes. They stood out against his pale skin, shining in the lab lights.

"Oh, _vackt_!" I put one hand over my heart and one over my open mouth. The sight was chilling.

The Glakkickh, or, what he had changed into, bared its teeth.

"Thrinaxia, meet Dark Jak." Daxter pointed to the being, which was somehow concentrating eco in its bare hands. "Dark Jak, Thrinaxia." He yanked my sleeve and pulled me aside. "Now that the introductions are done, I suggest we hide!"

Dark Jak heaved the eco ball at the cubicle. Streams of glass ran down, bending the light from the consoles inside into metallic waves.

"But he- his- how-" My brain was overflowing. _By Atena! What mediates the transformation? How does he prevent instant eco poisoning? Does the axis disperse the dark eco? Does he still think as one would normally, or does he revert to primal behaviors? How do his organ systems continue to function? Where did the excess material come from to form the claws and horns? Why hasn't his portal circulation exploded from the pressure? _

_How is this possible!_

"So, I'm guessing," Daxter said, leading me behind a few medical carts and ducking, "that dark boy here's got eco poisoning?"

"Definitely," I said, not taking my eyes off Dark Jak. He jumped and slashed the central processor in two. Huge sparks of electrified eco sizzled across the ceiling. "If he doesn't seek and initiate treatment soon, he will be lost."

I pulled my notebook out and frantically jotted my thoughts. The metal carts shook. My shoulder ached and I glanced at it. The armor was tarnishing with curling lines of electrical burn. I threw it away from our hiding space.

"Is this really the best time?" Daxter asked, pointing to my notebook.

"There has never been a better one," I said. _Observed subject absorbs and molds dark eco to his will._

"Jak?" His communicator was faint. "Get out of there! Can you hear m-"

Keira's voice was lost under Dark Jak's foot. He smashed the comm into the floor, snarling. Eco shots glanced off the wall. I sat cross-legged, trying to bring my limbs as close to my body as possible.

"Hey! Jak!" Daxter called. He stuck his head out and waved.

"Don't attract his attention!" I whispered.

"Jak! Buddy! You need to calmmmm downnnnnnnn." Daxter ducked down behind the carts again. "You know, I think we're going to need something more than verbal green tea."

"We've re-exposed him to what was probably the worst part of his life." I drew a diagram of the eco axis transformation spread. "I wonder if he reverts to a primal thought process, or if his personality remains in tact."

"That ain't my old butterfly collecting friend out there," Daxter said.

A dark eco blast reverberated throughout the room. Dark Jak screamed obscenities. Pieces of equipment flew by overhead.

"As long as he doesn't associate us with the experimentation process, we should be fine."

"Uh…"

The ottsel didn't finish his thought. I looked up. Dark Jak grinned at us, crouched down, one hand curling around the cart. Filaments of eco wound across the nails, scorching the metal. I shoved the notebook into my vest and scooted down the length of the cart. My shield sputtered, unable to make a cohesive barrier due to the rips at my shoulder. Daxter hid behind me, peeking over my cranial scintillation.

"Buddy?" he said softly. "You- you won't hurt your friends, will ya?"

Dark Jak crawled closer, slowly, reaching out one hand. His eyes were wide and so terribly black. Dark eco flickered around his face.

_My weapon is damaged, I'm in a cramped space, and the only thing separating me from being literally cornered is a scared ottsel. _Daxter squeaked as my back hit the wall. He jumped to my side, holding my arm up in front of his face.

_Wonder if he's capable of understanding speech. Perhaps, if he _is_ the Taetran prophet... "Do not touch me,"_ I said in Metal Head.

He didn't appear to understand. His hand was mere centistandards from my face, when he paused. He glanced at the door, narrowed his eyes, and hissed.

"Uh oh," Daxter said. "Things are about to get worse."

Dark Jak sprang up and pulled his arms back. A wall of eco arched between his hands. He waited, breathing heavily. Blood and sweat dripped down from his fingertips, hissing as they hit the floor.

I held my breath and backed as far away from him as possible. Daxter picked up a piece of metal and held it up in front of us. I couldn't resist watching over the top.

From the hallway came the sound of scrambling, weapons being charged, and barked orders. Daxter put his paws over his eyes.

The door opened. Red light flooded in, overshadowing a tall figure.

"OPEN FIRE!"

Dark Jak roared and brought his arms together. A massive wave of dark eco exploded across the room. White and blue Peace Maker shots slammed into it.

My cranial scintillation shuddered, shocking the muscles that had grown around it. "Argh!" I pulled the metal up over my face. Blinding explosions continued all around us. My suit buzzed and finally failed. When the metal became too charged to hold, I pushed it away.

"Doc?"

Daxter's voice was muffled, as I had wrapped my arms around him and crushed him into a ball against my chest. _Might as well attempt to preserve a rare species._

"What?" I could barely hear him. KG shouts and Dark Jak's eco blasts were deafening.

"What're our chances of survival here?"

"STAND YOUR GROUND!"

I lowered my head, covering the ottsel completely. "Slim, I should think." _In the name of all Perpetuan honors, great Atena, salvage us from this hell._

Dark eco hit my arms and knees. I gasped. Without the shield, it burned through my clothing and dug into my skin. "Vackting Glakkickh!" My chest tightened. Daxter squirmed against my arms.

Then he muttered something unintelligible. Dark Jak howled. The KGs swore. I felt, rather than heard, the next eco blast. It eliminated all reasoning, perception, and sensation.


	21. Perpetua

**This is the last chapter of ****Studying the Unloved****. The long A/N I promised (which has info about the sciencey stuff I talked about, as well as other tidbits I stuck in the story) can be found at a link in my profile. Check it out if you'd like.**

**Thanks to all who reviewed and enjoyed this story. Its success is due to, I believe, an understanding of the English language and a good dose of originality. For the love of all things fanfiction, demand quality from authors. **

**Don't settle for less.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Severe eco burns are characterized by charred muscle tissues, hardening of the remaining skin and intense pain. Prolonged exposure results in tissue necrosis.

It was this that sent me upright, gasping and gripping the sides of the hospital bed. I winced. My forearms were critically burned. "Vackt!" I took several deep breaths and held my arms out carefully. The flesh was dark and netted with unexpected white ropes of healed scar tissue. My suit sleeves had melted and hardened in tiny peaks and valleys. I touched it; the biothreads had been reduced to dull, deformed plastic. I groaned and was grateful the Glakkickh's dark eco blast had not hit my neck, where the suit fed into my brain. I couldn't command it to do anything, and the dull color disturbed me. My shoulder ached. I pulled the ripped sleeve aside.

"No! Where's my cranial scintillation?!" I swore. No wonder the suit was dull! I felt sick.

"Stay still!"

I looked up. The room was a small metal box with two Krimzon Guards stationed at the door. One held up his gun.

"Do you actually think I'm in any state to escape?" I spat.

Before he could respond, the door slid open. The KGs were pushed aside. "Get back, you infested tubers."

I squinted. The pain and sudden awakening induced blurry vision. Indeed, I had seen what I thought I had. A short, old man with head log ornamentation tapped his staff on the floor. "Get out of here!" He waved both arms.

"Sir, we were ordered to be present at all times when-"

"I know what the Baroness said." The old man smacked the KG's arm with his staff. "Get."

"Sir, we-"

"NOW!"

The KGs retreated. The old man shook his head as they left, scowling.

I twisted in the bed, trying to see if my subspace compartment was still attached to my belt.

"Please, don't move," said the man as he approached.

"Who are you?" I put my arms at my sides, the least painful position. "Where is my cranial scintillation? Where are my things? What-"

"My name is Samos." Standing at the edge of the bed he looked up at me. A tiny blue bird twittered and walked along the edge of the log. I raised an eyebrow at it. "I am Keira's father. I tried to heal you with green eco, but something went wrong." He pointed to my suit.

"Of course it did," I said. "Metal Heads have adverse reactions to green eco. Where is my communicator?"

He cleared his throat and gave me a look. I straightened in the bed and shot one back at him. "Your things are in the care of my daughter and her friends. You will get them back once we have reached Perpetua."

"Perpetua?" I blinked. "I need to return to Sector 7G. My lab, I've left it for too long-"

"You are being returned to your homeland," said Samos. He pulled up a stool and sat on it. "Ashelin and the Council have exiled you from our city indefinitely. Your lab belongs to Haven now."

"That filthy woman! We shall see what the Perpetuan Council says about that." I winced, breathing heavily. My priorities needed shifting. "In my subspace compartment there is a vial of pink liquid-"

He shook his head. "No more self remedies. This emergency vehicle is lifting us to Perpetua now. Ashelin's flying a yellow flag. That is the flag of Good Intent, correct?"

"The vial." I grit my teeth. "It's a powerful painkiller. Bring it to me."

"I am no one's delivery service!" Samos pulled an eco bag from his pocket. Teasing threads of green eco from it, he moved his hands around my arms. "The eco can't do much because of that blasted material. But your shoulder has been fully restored."

I rotated my left arm. "You regrew the bones! I asked for no such treatment!"

"The skull gem was rotting your flesh. Green sages have a duty to preserve all life, even that which seeks to taint itself."

_Taint itself?!_ "How dare you say such a thing! You did not even think past your own prejudices!" Samos fought to hold my arms as I gestured. "Science is just a foolish endeavor to you sages. I will have to start all over now- replacing the scintillation, my suit, my lab."

"I'm sure you will do everything you can to inconvenience everybody involved," said Samos. He turned my hands palm up. "Better?"

My arms did feel better. I glared at him. Sagery occasionally produced good results, but I did not have to admit it aloud.

"No need to thank me," the sage grumbled.

I picked at the suit. _This needs to be removed. I wonder how long it will be before I can make a new one._ The thought of living without my second skin made me feel exposed and vulnerable. "I need my gun- oh." I groaned. _Destroyed the vackting thing while breaking into the Fortress. Argh. I wonder if that old laser tape could cut through the suit material. Where is my damn compartment? And my communicator! Does the data suggest any possible treatment for-_ "The Glakkickh." I glanced at Samos. "Is he… well? And the ottsel?"

"Why don't you ask them yourself? And, as a wise man," he tossed me a small eco bag, "I suggest you use this instead of your vials and liquids." He hopped off the stool and exited, the bird chirping. The Schmekag ran in, followed by Jak.

"Doc!"

"Do you have my compartment?"

"Well, that's a fine how-do-ya-do." Daxter scrambled up and stood on the stool. "How about a, 'hi, Daxter! Nice to see you weren't obliterated in the blasts'?"

"Here." Jak tossed it onto my bed. He looked around the room, then at me. "I, uh, I'm, ya know." He picked up the ottsel and sat in the chair. "Sorry I hit you with the eco blast."

"With more time it will fully heal." I carefully stretched and grabbed the compartment.

"Did Samos fix you?"

"Too much." I indicated my shoulder. "I never wanted this to be 'fixed'. Now I'll have to go through the bone sculpting and muscle rehabilitation again."

"Or, you could, maybe, not?" Daxter scratched his chin. "Maybe living with people will be good for you. You could learn to be social again!" He mimicked sipping from a cup, tiniest digit extended. "My, dahling, DO pass the tea! No more of this dirty jungle work for me!"

I growled.

"Or not. Heheh. You know what they say… can't teach old crocodogs new tricks."

"Humph." Bending my arms experimentally, I was pleased to find almost all the pain was gone. "Forgiveness is given for the burns, Glakkickh. But you will recall the matter of my lab."

"Uh… yeah?" Jak shrugged. "I can't do anything about that."

"Yes, you can. Be vocal in your complaints to Ashelin," I sneered at the name, "and, for the love of Mar, do something to further science in your own city."

"Like funding gun modifications and zoomer enhancements? Gotcha covered!" Daxter grinned.

I shook my head. "Be sure the worst parts are rebuilt. One never knows what the future will hold."

"Oh, great, now she's getting all Onin up in here." Daxter leaned over the bed. "Listen, lady, I got enough mystical crap shouted at me by the birdbrain. I don't need any from you."

Jak and Daxter stifled laughter at my confused face.

"Er… actually, I was referring to the very real possibility of belligerent retaliation by Perpetua."

"Yeah, uh huh, I think we can handle a nation of stuffy scientists. Unless they threaten to bore us to death." Daxter stuck his tongue out at me.

"You, of all creatures, should know better than to judge someone based on what one can see." I turned to the Glakkickh. "On the matter of the test results…"

"Yeah?"

"You display the exact same symptoms as the Taetran prophet."

"The who what?" asked Daxter.

"The prophet of a group of people from Sickle, where your friend Sig came from. They revere Metal Heads as earthly gods. Their prophet had the same transformation form as the Glakkickh does- pale skin, dark eyes, horns, talons." I waved a hand. "Terrifying to behold and very powerful. I would like to know what a Taetra would do upon meeting you. Perhaps you would be worshipped."

"You mean, Jak's like… a god?" Daxter stomped one foot. "I wanna be a god! I deserve it for all the crap I live through every day. Lookit this fur! Jeez, you just wanna take a walk, and the breezes come waltzing up between your bare-"

"It means," I said firmly, "that he suffers from an acute form of eco poisoning. I am really not sure how you are breathing now." Jak shrugged. "Without intervention, your darker side will pervade your basic morphological structure. You _will_ be locked in madness. I urge you to seek treatment as soon as possible."

"Go see the Oracle again?"

"Ugh, the Oracle." I shook my head. "I believe light eco could help you- possibly balance out the dark. I am not sure where you could find it, though. It is rather rare."

"And, uh, if he doesn't find it, it'll be madness and death and gore all around?" asked Daxter. I nodded. "Yay." He looked at Jak. "We're all dead."

Jak chuckled uneasily. "If I could hold out this long, I think I'll be okay a while longer."

"Yeah," Daxter took his place on Jak's shoulder. "We'll just keep you away from those nightmare needles."

I swung my legs over the bed. Jak jumped out of his chair. "Move, move," I said, pushing away his offered hand. Groaning, I stood and bent my knees one at a time. "I have to contact the city and state our business."

"Torn's handling that." Jak stood in my way. "Just sit down."

I looked up at him. "Torn? He couldn't negotiate with a Perpetuan politician if subtlety was drilled into his head. The stress complexes running through his blood due to our Fortress adventure will certainly not help matters." I tried to push past him, but he remained. I put one hand to my chin. "And what will happen to you? Surely there are rumors. You've helped the enemy break access sensitive government property. To say that Torn and Ashelin are angry would be, I'd imagine, quite an understatement."

"Yeah, they're mad, but it's not like they can kick me out," Jak said with a smile. "I saved their city."

"Hmm."

We stood in silence for a few minutes. The Schmekag flicked his tail and glanced between us. Jak tapped his foot.

"Well?" said Daxter.

"Well what?" I strode past Jak to the door. He did not stop me this time.

"Well so, you're just… leaving now?"

I glanced down the hallway. "Of course. I have research to defend and a lab to reclaim." The two followed me to the deck. KGs surrounded us. Moving slowly, I walked to the railing. The wind whipped past us, and the water below churned. The port of Perpetua shone in the distance. Huge white marble statues of important scientists and artists held their arms out in welcome. I sighed._There is so much to do. I must secure my lab and rebuild my shoulder and… reacquaint myself with this version of home. I haven't been home in so long. It is time to leave the war zones behind. At least, for a little while._ "See that? The very foundation of my society is built on methodical creativity."

They stared at me.

"The social niceties of your city aren't observed."

Daxter spread his arms. "Ohhh! I see! You just want a hug!"

"What?"

The ottsel flung himself at me. "Aww! I knew you'd come around, Doc! I knew you'd miss us!"

"Um," I swatted at his head. "No, I meant-"

"You're saying goodbye," said Jak.

"Yes." I pushed at Daxter. "For Atena's sake, get off!"

"Aww… we love you, too!"

I felt my face warm. I groaned. "Will you just-"

Jak stuck his hand out. "It's been nice knowing you."

"I, uh, er." I shook his hand. "You as well."

"Goodbye! Farewell! I'll sort of miss your bad attitude and oldness!"

Scowling at Daxter, I rooted around in my subspace compartment. "Take this. It is a simple communication device. When activated, it will send a signal to me. Contact me when Ashelin relinquishes Sector 7G."

Jak took the device, a circle of metal about the size of his palm. "Okay."

"And… if you need to contact me. For further research. On your dark eco poisoning."

Jak smiled. "Alright."

"Oh, and." I pried at Daxter's digits. "Consider replacing your subspace compartment."

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**Thank you for reading!**


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